Five More Minutes
by stardust472
Summary: 24-year-old Marinette is lost in a world that seems to be passing her by. But when she meets an equally lonely boy named Adrien in a blind date mix-up, nothing will ever be the same again. An unforeseen circumstance reveals new powers, Chat becomes temporarily unstable in the aftermath of Hawkmoth, and the two of them must find ways to reassure each other that they're not alone.
1. Chapter 1

"Marinette!"

She looked up from the wedding cake she was decorating to see her best friend Alya running towards her.

"How are you doing, girl? It's been way too long!"

Marinette smiled sheepishly as she set down her frosting to hug her best friend. Alya was doing an internship for a popular magazine, and between her busy schedule and Marinette's at the bakery, it had been several weeks since they'd been able to meet up.

"I'm doing ok. I talked to you on the phone just yesterday, right?" She replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but it's not the same." Alya looked her over, eyes lingering on a bit of flour that had stubbornly stuck itself to Marinette's cheek. Marinette sighed inwardly. She was sure she looked a right mess, but it would still be several hours until she could close down for the night and go take a long shower. She cast around for another subject.

"How are things going with Nino?" She asked, hoping the subject would distract from her dirty face.

Alya's face lit up. "Great, as usual. Just the other day we took a trip to the beach. It was such a blast…."

Marinette zoned out slightly as Alya continued describing her perfect date with Nino to the beach, watching how happy she seemed. Marinette inwardly sighed again. She hadn't had much luck with dating; at 24 years old, she'd only had a few dates. Her relationships hadn't really gone anywhere, only lasting a couple of months at the most. She was just too busy running the bakery. Besides, nobody had ever felt…right. As jealousy began to take over, Marinette realized Alya was looking at her, half expectant and half exasperated.

"Oops, I'm sorry, what?"

Alya laughed.

"Girl, you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached! I was saying, you remember that friend of Nino's I told you about? Adam? I set up a brunch date for you two for tomorrow."

Marinette's eyes got big. "Uh…thanks Alya, but…"

"No buts! You are going! How long has it been since you did something for yourself, huh?"

This was a good point, but Marinette said nothing.

"You'll get along great. Meet at 8:30 am at this address." She clicked a button on her phone, sending the address in text form. "He has green eyes and he'll be wearing a light blue scarf. And then once you're done, text me and let me know how it goes."

This time Marinette sighed out loud.

"Ok, ok, you win. But this better not be like last time," she threatened, poking Alya in the arm. "That guy was…"

"…a little self absorbed?" Alya supplied helpfully.

"….yeah, you could say that," she said, thinking back and shuddering. Her last date Alya had set her up with had droned on and on about his job and his career accomplishments until Marinette had finally been able to make an excuse and slip away.

"It'll work out this time," Alya insisted. "Just…make sure you're on time, ok Mari? He said he's got somewhere to be by 10, so don't miss it. And don't forget to change your clock tonight!"

"Yes, Maman," Marinette replied cheekily.

"Here, I'm setting an alarm on your phone," Alya said, snatching up the device.

Marinette shook her head. "Alya, I'm perfectly capable…"

"There, done! I think…" Alya interrupted, then did a double-take. "Oh crap, is that really the time? Sorry Mari, I have to go, I'm supposed to be at an interview in 15 minutes!" She said, rushing to pick up her bag. "Now don't forget…."

"I won't. See you later!" Marinette waved to her friend as she ran out the door, then turned back to her cake.

* * *

Marinette trudged slowly up the stairs to her apartment above the bakery. It had been a long day. She took a long hot shower, then heated up some food, leftovers from the night before, and sat down on the couch. She turned on the TV, though not really watching it. She noted how quiet it was with a sad sigh, wishing she wasn't alone right now.

_You're not alone, Marinette, I'm still here,"_ said a voice in her head.

_I know Tikki, but it's…_

…_Not the same?_

…_yeah._

She sighed sadly, remembering that day not so long ago when she'd first heard Tiki's voice in her head. Her kwami had gained the ability to speak to her in her mind, which was very useful in tough situations. Tikki tried to help her with her loneliness, but there was only so much a tiny ladybug goddess could do to fill the void at the moment.

She switched channels, putting on a movie and curling up with a blanket, throwing Tikki a cookie as she got situated. But the day had been busy and it wasn't long before Marinette was sound asleep.

* * *

Adam walked into the cafe the next morning at 8:45. Alya had told him he was supposed to meet her friend Marinette here today, but he was running a little late. He glanced around, not finding anyone who matched her description, so he found himself a table and sat down with a sigh of relief. She wasn't here yet.

However, as he waited and the time ticked by, he began to get nervous. What if she didn't come at all?

Around 9:30, he began to give up hope and slowly began packing his things away, pulling on his jacket. It looked like rain; that was never a good sign. To make matters worse, he bumped into someone on his way out of the cafe, dropping his satchel. Books and papers spilled everywhere.

"Oh, sorry, excuse me," the blond young man said as he helped Adam gather his things, emerald eyes glancing around the street.

"Thanks," Adam muttered as he raced away, wondering if the day could get any worse.

* * *

Marinette sat up abruptly, looking around. She'd fallen asleep on the couch and her back ached fiercely. The morning light streamed in her window, though it cast a cloudy aura around her living room. Her alarm clock in her room upstairs was going off, that's probably what woke her up…

_Tikki! _She shouted mentally when she checked her phone clock. The screen stayed black, the battery dead. _Why didn't you wake me up?! I'm going to be so late!_

She heard Tikki sigh mentally.

_I TRIED, Marinette, but you know how hard it is to wake you up sometimes…_ Tikki said, exasperated.

Marinette rushed to get ready, throwing on a gray Chat Noir t-shirt and faded jeans with a long, forest green sweater over the top that she'd left out the a couple days before. She tried not to think too hard about what her partner would say to her if he saw her wearing a shirt with his name on it. _Probably make some stupid joke about being the cat's meow, _she thought, rolling her eyes fondly.

She grabbed her bag with Tikki in it and sprinted out the door towards the cafe.

* * *

Adrien was running. He was so tired of being alone. No company for breakfast again? _Well then,_ he thought, _I'll just find some company of my own. _

His bodyguard would, no doubt, be looking for him soon, so he began looking for a place to duck in off the street. He had covered his sunshine-colored hair with a cap and made sure to mismatch his clothes slightly so that he wouldn't instantly be recognizable, his bright red Ladybug-inspired t-shirt clashing with his baby blue scarf and gray zip-up hoodie. He knew, however, it probably wouldn't hide him for long.

_Way to go, kid! Live a little! _ Plagg encouraged.

He made to duck into a nearby cafe, running headlong into another young man as he did so. He stopped momentarily to help him pick up his scattered belongings, glancing around as he did so. No gray car in sight, thank goodness.

He resumed his route into the cafe, finding a seat near the door. The place was busy and he was in no hurry to be anywhere, so he subtly watched the interactions of the people around him from beneath the brim of his cap, his back to the window.

Just then, there was a small commotion as a young lady raced into the cafe, tripping over the threshold. His Chat Noir instincts kicked in as he watched her fall, and he jumped up to steady her just before she hit the floor. She blushed.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry, sorry!" She said, sounding panicked. "I'm so unbelievably clumsy," she added fretfully.

She looked up at him, jaw falling open slightly as she took in the sight of him. Even with his mismatched clothes he was quite good-looking. His hair shone in the light and his green eyes sparkled with amusement. Adrien thought about letting Chat Noir out to play for a bit- the phrase, _cat got your tongue _was nearly falling out of his mouth- but decided against it. It would be better to keep a low profile; it would be pretty unfortunate if one of his modeling fans spotted him and posted his picture on the internet again. His bodyguard would find him for sure.

Once she had recovered herself slightly, she managed, "W-well, thank you. F-for helping me."

"My pleasure."

He helped her up and she turned away from him as he sat down again and unfolded his menu. Suddenly, the girl plopped herself down in the chair opposite.

"H-hi, you must be Adam, then," she said. He looked up at her, startled, and then it was his turn for his jaw to drop. She had large blue eyes; they reminded him of his Lady's eyes. Her cheeks were still flushed pink and her long black hair, which was piled in a bun on top of her head, looked a bit windswept. "I'm Marinette, pleased to meet you." She extended her hand.

_Close your mouth kid, you're gaping like a fish,_ Plagg quipped in his head.

Shaking his head slightly as if his ears were full of water, he registered what she'd said. _Adam? _She seemed to think she knew him, but that wasn't his name… A plan began to form in his mind. He heard Plagg mutter something about what body parts he was using to think with besides his head and flushed slightly.

_It's not like that! _He snapped. _ I just…think she maybe could be a good friend, that's all._

"Adam Chapain, it's good to meet you too," he said, taking her extended hand and placing a kiss on the back of it gallantly. The gesture had the desired effect of making her blush deeper red than Ladybug's uniform.

_Kid, what are you doing? _Plagg moaned. Adrien ignored him.

"Have you ordered?" She asked, picking up the second menu and hiding her blushing face behind it.

"No, not yet," he answered, continuing to sneak glances at her over the top of his own. _She's beautiful, _he thought dreamily.

_Earth to Chat…_Plagg snarked.

Shaking his head again, he focused in on the menu, ordering croissants and jam and a hot chocolate, same as his companion. _Marinette,_ he reminded himself.

She looked nervous.

"So…Alya tells me you went to university with Nino at ESCP," she said, as they handed their menus back to the waitress. "What did you study?"

Adrien began to get nervous himself now. It seemed they were supposed to have some mutual friend or aquaintence. But…maybe it would still work out. He HAD actually gone to that same university, after all, even if most of his classes were online.

_I hope you know what you're doing, _Plagg cautioned.

He cleared his throat.

"Um… I was in business. My father wants me to…um…take over the family business eventually, so he required that I get an MBA."

Marinette studied his face.

"But…?"

His eyes widened. She'd barely known him for ten minutes and she could already tell there was more to his story.

"But I always wanted to go into physics. I don't know what I would do with a degree like that, but I really despised my business classes. I never liked my father's business much, and I sure as hell don't want to run it," he said. "But what about you? What did you study?" He asked, deflecting attention off of himself for a moment. The last thing he needed was for her to ask about his father's business.

She looked suddenly downcast.

"I'm sorry," he apologized quickly. "I didn't mean to offend you…"

"No, it isn't that," she said quietly, examining her own fingers that she was twisting in the hem of her sweater. There was a silence for a moment, and just as Adrien was about to change topic, she looked up at him and took a deep breath before replying. "I never studied at a university. It was in my plans, but…there were some certain…family problems and I never made it there. I run my parents' bakery instead," she said.

Adrien was quiet for a moment. She obviously didn't like to talk about it, so he cast around for a change of topic. Unable to find one, they sat in uncomfortable silence, which was finally broken by the reappearance of the waitress. As their food arrived, he noticed that she had found a pencil somewhere and was drawing on the edge of a paper napkin. He sat quietly, watching as she made a rough sketch of what looked like a men's jacket or sweater with a collar and an asymmetrical zipper. She continued to add details to the sleeves, but it was obvious her mind was somewhere far away.

"That looks great, Marinette," he said softly, so as not to startle her. She jumped slightly anyway, and squinted down at her drawing.

"Something about it isn't right," she said, narrowing her eyes at it.

"Do you like drawing then?" He asked.

"Yeah, but…I really like designing. That's what I hoped to go to school for," she admitted. She pointed to her green duster sweater as she picked up a croissant. It had an intricate floral pattern knitted into the weave. "I made this myself. Not sure if I'd ever be able to get ahead or anything, I mean, fashion is a difficult business to be in. You have to be the best of the best."

"Well, based on that sketch and your sweater, I'd say that you have a pretty good chance of getting ahead in the business. You're quite talented, Marinette," he said shyly.

Marinette blushed but smiled.

"Thanks. It's always been my dream to work for Gabriel Agreste, but…things don't always work out the way we want."

At his father's name, Adrien, who had been taking a sip of his water, choked and sputtered a bit, quickly setting his glass back down on the table. Marinette hadn't noticed anything, lost in thought looking at her drawing. He studied her outfit again, noticing her t-shirt this time. He smirked at her.

"So…what do you think of Chat Noir?"

Marinette looked up at him, evidently not expecting this question, and he was surprised to see that she was blushing slightly. When she didn't speak right away, his grin widened.

"_Cat_ got your tongue?" He quipped without thinking.

Plagg snickered. _Your Chat is showing, kid._

_Shut up, _Adrien grumbled.

Her eyes became as large as saucers as she struggled to recover herself.

"H-he's…I mean…I guess you could say…I'm a fan?" She managed to squeak out. She took a breath. "I mean, I don't know him personally, but he seems quite brave and kind, and it's obvious that he cares about Ladybug very much."

Adrien struggled to keep the beaming off his face, but he wasn't sure he succeeded. Someone as amazing as Marinette was a fan of Chat Noir! He mentally shook himself. He was getting ahead of himself, they had just met that day! And yet, Adrien felt instinctively that he could trust her; he was drawn to her as if by an invisible thread. He wanted to know everything about this girl. He wanted to spend more time with her.

He wanted to tell her the truth about who he was— his civilian identity, of course. But he was worried that it would change things, make it awkward between them, or worse, that she would leave. Or what if she was a fan girl? Adrien-the-model had many shallow admirers already, and she had already said she had wanted to work for his father… Nope, best to just continue on.

"I'm sure Chat Noir would appreciate that," he said, still trying to keep his expression under control.

"You probably think I'm a total dorkasaurus," Marinette mumbled, hiding her face in her hands.

Adrien stared at her for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Want to know a secret?" He asked, winking at her. She made no reply, but peeked at him through her fingers, so he took it as affirmative and unzipped his hoodie to reveal his Ladybug t-shirt underneath. What little he could see of her face looked shocked, but… pleased somehow.

"A Ladybug fan, huh? I'd never have guessed," she teased softly, poking him in the arm. The gesture seemed familiar somehow…

"Ladybug has been an inspiration to me for a long time," he said. "She's kind, clever, determined, and brave." He paused for a moment. "I mean, I've never met her, but she's saved the city more times than we can count.

"She'd be nothing without Chat though," she remarked passionately, her eyes shining determinately. "He's helped her out of tough scrapes on pretty much every one of those missions. Without him, she'd probably have given up long ago," she added more quietly, seeming to retreat into her mind for a moment.

Adrien was surprised to hear her defend Chat like that. _Ladybug would have given up without me?_ He thought, trying to keep his expression neutral. He shook himself again.

"Well, we can probably safely say that all of Paris is better off with the two of them on the lookout for trouble," he said, sipping his hot chocolate thoughtfully. "Who knows, maybe one day they'll even get together," he said, spreading jam on a croissant. They'd been talking instead of eating. When he looked up from his breakfast, he saw that Marinette looked a little uncomfortable.

_Did I say something wrong? _ He wondered, but Marinette's expression cleared before he could apologize.

"S-so, Adam, what's your family like?" She asked, apparently not wanting to talk about Chat and Ladybug's future relationship.

_I wonder why not. Everyone else seems to like speculating on that…_ he thought to himself.

"I'm an only child," he said, trying to cover for his lapse, so not thinking about it much as he answered honestly. "My mother left us when I was a teenager and my father…well, let's just say he's been pretty protective of me ever since. But he's busy working a lot, so…I spend a lot of time on my own." He picked up his mug of hot chocolate, just for something to do with his hands.

"What about your friends?" Marinette asked cautiously. "Surely you don't mean…REALLY all alone?"

Adrien didn't meet her eyes, apparently finding his mug very interesting. "My father homeschooled me. Or rather, he paid tutors to teach me at home. Even at university, I only had a few classes that I was allowed out for, and that was only because they weren't classes that were offered online, so my opportunities to meet people my age have been pretty thin on the ground. My father has had most of the say in who I get to spend time with, and he keeps me pretty busy with lessons and extracurriculars," he said bitterly.

He sneaked a glance at her, hoping he wouldn't see pity written all over her face. What he wasn't expecting to see was that she looked…almost…angry? His insides warmed at what he assumed (correctly) was her indignation at his unfortunate life. Someone was showing that they cared about HIM, as a person, not just his name or his face! He could hardly believe his good luck as he gazed at the beautiful girl sitting across from him.

She pushed the expression away, then asked, "What kinds of lessons do you take?"

"Piano, fencing, and Chinese. I've been taking those since I was young. I convinced Father to allow me to learn English also once I started lycée, but it took a long time to talk him around. I had to remind him that it would be valuable for his company, blah blah blah…" he said, looking annoyed. "I wanted to take guitar lessons, too, but he wouldn't allow it."

"My mother is…was… half Chinese," Marinette said, a far-away look in her eyes. "I never learned much Mandarin though, so I don't expect I would be a good practice buddy," she said, looking at him. Her eyes had become sad. Adrien felt a pang in his chest.

"I-I'm sorry about your mother," he said softly, taking her hand without thinking.

Her eyes brimmed with tears before she quickly blinked them away. She was quiet for a moment before seeming to decide something.

"She had cancer," she said quietly. "It's been almost a year since she passed away, but…it's still hard. She was diagnosed when I was in my last year of lycée, so afterwards I stayed to help Papa in the bakery. But…the treatments didn't work as well as we'd hoped and after Maman…well, you know…, Papa just…shut down. He couldn't deal with everything. The grief and pain got to him, and I couldn't…couldn't care for him and the bakery at the same time…" Marinette's eyes filled again, and this time a couple of drops fell into her lap before she could brush them away. Adrien's hand tightened around hers. She took a shaky breath.

"S-sorry, Adam," she said. "I just met you and I'm dumping all my problems on you…"

"Don't worry about it," he said kindly. _Oh yeah…Adam. Right._ "I get it. I lost my mother, too, remember? I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but things do get better. And you still have your Papa, right?"

Marinette met his eyes sadly. "He's…not the same as he was. I had to ask my uncle who lives in the countryside if Papa could come and stay with him. I was trying to run the bakery mostly on my own, and Papa…he wouldn't eat, he wouldn't sleep…and I just got so worried about him and I couldn't do everything on my own. I go visit him on my free days, but…he's still so heartbroken. He barely speaks to me when I visit." A couple more tears joined the ones in her lap.

Adrien felt for her. "Well, if you want…I would be honored to be able to be there for you," he said impulsively. "I don't know how often my father will let me out with permission, but…" he seized her pencil and the napkin she'd been doodling on, writing down his number. "…here, you can call or text me anytime. If you want to talk, that is…"

Marinette's tear-filled eyes betrayed her surprise, and she squeezed his hand before pulling away. "T-thank you, I'd like that."

They sat in silence for a moment, Adrien finishing the last of his hot chocolate, wishing he could do more to help her. He wanted to scoop her up in his arms and comfort her, hug her, kiss…

_No! Bad Adrien! _ He reprimanded himself, face going a bit pink._ She's only just met you! Do you WANT to scare her away? She'll think you're some sort of creep or something!_

He heard a chair scraping the floor and looked up to see her standing and gathering her bag as she checked her the time.

"Well, for a blind date, this was really fun," she said, shooting him a smile. "But I have to get going now, my shift at the bakery starts soon."

"Yeah, it was fun," Adrien said.

_She's leaving, Plagg! What do I do?_ He thought, panicking.

_Ask her for her number and if you can see her again! Obviously…_ Plagg snarked at him.

"Would you…I mean…could I…um… canIcallyousometime?" He burst out, turning red. He took a breath. _Smooth, Chat, _ he thought, mentally kicking himself. "I mean, I had a really good time today, and I- I was hoping we could do this again sometime…"

Marinette blushed too. "O-of course!" She squeaked. She grabbed her pencil and a new napkin and scribbled down her number for him.

Adrien was on cloud nine. "T-thanks," he stuttered, standing to go with her to pay the check. "Don't worry, I got this," he said, taking out his wallet. "It WAS a date, after all."

Marinette smiled at his chivalrous gesture.

_She has the most gorgeous smile,_ he thought dreamily.

"Thanks so much, Adam," she said. "It really was a good morning. I-I'd love to do this again sometime," she said, blushing again.

Adrien grinned. _YES!_ He was startled when she suddenly lunged forward, wrapping him in a hug. He relaxed into her touch, wrapping his arms around her in return and resting his cheek on the top of her head. Her hair smelled like freshly baked bread and flowers. All too soon, she was letting go of him and backing away.

"S-sorry, I…"

Adrien shook his head. "No, no, it's ok," he reassured her. "I-I haven't been hugged like that in a very long time. I liked it," he said happily, taking her hand and squeezing it gently before letting go. "Until next time, fair maiden," he said with a bow.

Marinette giggled. "See you later then, Adam," she said, waving at him before she disappeared outside, where a light drizzle was starting to fall.

* * *

Adrien walked slowly home, pondering on the beautiful girl he'd spent the morning with, replaying the conversation over and over in his head. She was talented, caring, and kind, as well as beautiful, he decided. His heart ached as he remembered her face as she explained about her parents, how sad she had been. It soared as he remembered how passionate she'd been about Chat Noir's merits, even though most people, himself included, saw Ladybug as the hero and Chat as the sidekick. He couldn't purify akumas or make everything right again or construct elaborate plans…but Marinette saw Chat as…as Ladybug's _equal,_ not just the dumb cat who got in the way or the expendable sidekick.

His heart warmed again as he remembered her anger at how his father treated him. He was surprised at how much she truly seemed to care about him, even though they'd only just met, you know, that day. Sure, she'd thought he was a different person, but he'd told her about his real life and she'd listened, been interested, actually CARED what he thought and felt about things.

_Someone's in loooove, _Plagg taunted

_I…_ Adrien paused. _I…really like her… but love? Isn't it too early to tell?_

_The heart wants what the heart wants, _Plagg said. _And MY heart is missing my beautiful Camembert. Hurry up, walk faster!_

* * *

Marinette hurried back to the bakery. Her shift started in 5 minutes and she still had a ten minute walk home, not to mention she still needed to change into her work clothes. She couldn't bring herself to regret it, though. Her morning with Adam had been…much better than expected. She found herself remembering his beautiful green eyes, they way he smiled at her, how safe and protected she'd felt when he hugged her back.

He was kind and thoughtful, he was drop-dead gorgeous, he was fun, though somewhat awkward with his light teasing. Obviously having friends was a new experience for him. Her eyes narrowed as she thought of poor Adam, shut up in his house with only tutors for company; never going out with friends, not even getting to choose his activities…

_Well, that's going to change right now,_ she thought, determined. _I will be his friend._

_Maybe something more than that, hmm…? _Tikki asked slyly.

Marinette blushed. _ Maybe. I- I really like him. He's perfect. _

She remembered how startled and tense he'd been when she'd hugged him, but then he had relaxed into her embrace, almost as if he were drawing strength from her somehow. It reminded her of how Chat seemed whenever she hugged her superhero partner- startled, yet…wanting, needing the warmth and care of someone else. She remembered how Adrien had empathized with her loss and promised to be there for her however he could.

She checked her bag, finding the napkin with his number written on it and sighing with relief. _That would have been a disaster,_ she thought. She quickly programmed it into her contacts before she could lose the number and quickly sent a text to Alya to thank her for setting up the date before hurrying into the apartment to change.


	2. Chapter 2

Chat Noir loved getting out of the house to see the city at night. Running as fast as he could, bounding over the rooftops and using his silver staff to almost fly, he felt free. He needed that this evening; things had NOT gone well once he returned to the house.

His father had been furious that he'd gone out on his own without his bodyguard. He'd promptly grounded Adrien for the next week and sent him to practice his piano lesson, like he was some naughty child that needed punishment.

"I AM an adult, Father. I should be able to leave the house without your permission," Adrien had reminded him as calmly as he could, though inwardly seething. He wasn't sorry he'd gone out, not when he'd had the opportunity to meet Marinette, but regardless, this wasn't fair.

"You must obtain my permission to leave until I say you're ready," his father had dictated.

"But Father, I'm twenty-four years old! I don't have any friends my age! I've never even asked anyone on a date! You can't keep me locked up here forever," he had said angrily.

"It's for your own good, Adrien. Now, I have a conference call I must take. You're dismissed."

So now that it was dark, Chat was running. Away from his father. Away from his caged life. Away from the expectations and lessons, if only for a little while. He was free.

He circled around the city rooftops a few times, then stopped on a rooftop near his home, panting and gasping for breath. _That was a good workout, _he thought, sitting down and letting his legs dangle over the side. He noted that the roof he was on overlooked a tiny balcony with a couple small chairs, a table, and some potted plants. He turned his thoughts elsewhere, wondering if Ladybug was out tonight, somewhere in the city. Probably not, he decided. Ladybug had been…difficult to get a hold of lately. In the last year or so, she had been seen only rarely when there wasn't an akuma to take care of, which, he'd noticed, had become less often than in the past. She hadn't really stayed afterward to talk much either. He wondered if she was alright. She never would tell him what was bothering her, siting her need to keep her identity secret, but there had been a few times about a year ago where she had looked…pretty awful, if he was being honest. She had looked like she hadn't slept in days and had been…reckless—that was a good word, he decided. She had thrown herself into fighting with such intensity and focus that she hadn't done a good job looking out for herself.

He remembered one particular incident during that time where he had taken her aside afterward.

"Milady," he'd said cautiously, "are you alright? You don't…seem like yourself. You almost got yourself killed out there, and you know how much of a problem we'd be in if that happened." His eyes became intense and his voice turned pleading. "I can't bring you back, Ladybug. Please, let me help!"

Ladybug's eyes had filled with tears, looking undecided for a moment, before her expression turned stony.

"You can't help Chat. Nobody can."

And with that, she'd swung off without another word.

Chat had tried to catch up with her again later, but she'd made sure to keep her distance after the battles. She seemed to be doing at least a little better though, less reckless in her fighting and more aware of her surroundings.

"_Little kitty sitting on a roof, all alone without his Lady_…" he sang softly.

"Ch-chat Noir?"

Looking down towards the source of the voice, he saw a familiar pair of big bluebell eyes staring up at him from the balcony below.

"Marin—I mean, good evening, mademoiselle, and who might you be?" He said, stumbling over his tongue in his surprise. _Great, Chat, _he thought. _Just great. You find her again and almost give away your secret identity. Keep it together, man!_

Marinette was looking up at him suspiciously. "My name is Marinette…but it seems you knew that already. Have you been spying on me, Chat Noir?"

Chat's eyes became as big as saucers, raising his hands in surrender. "I wasn't spying, honest, miss. I…I can't explain though, so please, don't ask."

Marinette gave him one last suspicious look, then looked away. Chat watched her, then flipped down onto the balcony beside her.

"Do you mind if I sit? I-I'd appreciate the company…" he asked hesitantly. "I don't really feel like being alone tonight.

Marinette made a welcoming gesture, turning towards the city lights again. "What about Ladybug?" She asked.

Chat shrugged. "She's probably not out tonight. She's been…distant lately." He didn't notice Marinette wince slightly. "I hope she's alright though. She hasn't really acted alright, but she won't talk to me."

"Maybe she had a good reason," Marinette suggested quietly after a moment.

"But I'm her partner!" He burst out. "How can we be partners if she won't at least let me help? Doesn't she trust me?" He couldn't quite keep the hurt and bitterness out of his voice as he stared down at his clawed fingers.

Marinette winced again, and placed a gentle hand on his arm.

"I'm sure she does trust you, Chaton. Maybe…maybe, whatever's going on, she's wishing it wasn't real, and saying it out loud makes it more… concrete somehow…"

Chat Noir calmed a little, watching her, remembering what she'd said that morning about her parents. He could certainly understand that. He hadn't wanted to talk about his own mother for quite a while after she'd disappeared, it was just too painful.

"Maybe…" he agreed after a moment. He stared out at the city, arms behind his head, as they sat in comfortable silence. After a while he realized that he was more relaxed than he had been in ages, which was odd since he was sure that he'd never before met this girl as Chat Noir. He'd only just met her as himself that morning! And yet, when she moved to lean her head against his shoulder and he rested his cheek in her hair, he felt he had come home.

* * *

Marinette stirred. It was still dark outside, but she was getting cold. It was then that she noticed a breeze as the wind swirled past and a strong pair of arms thrown around her middle. She opened her eyes to see that she was still on the balcony, and that Chat Noir was holding her on his lap now, with her head tucked under his chin. He was fast asleep, and he looked so peaceful, she hated to wake him up. But, she had an early shift at the bakery the next morning and probably needed to go to bed properly, even if only for a few hours.

"Chaton," she whispered, stroking his face lightly with the back of a finger. "Wake up, Chaton. You need to go to home."

"Five more minutes, Bugaboo," he mumbled sleepily, tightening his hold on her. Marinette started at being called Ladybug's pet name, but figured he was probably still dreaming.

"Chat, wake up," she said again. There was no reply, just the sound of his deep breathing. _Oh great, _Marinette thought. _Now what?_

_He liked your macrons, _Tikki suggested.

Marinette remembered back to when they were just starting to work together and she, as Ladybug, had brought him a little bag full of her father's raspberry macrons and some hot chocolate as a Christmas present. He had been so delighted that he'd had to open the bag to share with her right then and there.

_Good idea, Tikki, _she thought. _Now…just one problem…_ she was still tangled in Chat's arms.

Tikki laughed in her head. _I'll get them, you keep trying to rouse Chat._

"Chaton," she whispered, moving enough so that she could stroke his hair, the way her mother used to do for her when she was a child. "Wake up, Chat."

He snuggled into her side again, a deep rumbling emitting from his chest.

"Chat Noir, are you purring?" She laughed softly.

One of his bright green eyes cracked open, then both opened wide when he realized both where he was and who was with him. He blushed deeply.

"M-Marinette!" He exclaimed, letting go of her quickly. "I-I'm sorry, I…"

She put a finger on his lips, smiling up at him. "It's fine, Kitty. I'm flattered, honest."

She got up from his lap, looking around as Tikki subtly pushed a bag of macrons up over the edge of the trap door, making sure she was standing between Chat and the bag of cookies. Chat was still looking mortified, pretending to find his clawed fingers very interesting for the moment, so he noticed nothing.

"Here, take some cookies for the road…or the rooftops, I guess," she amended, holding out the bag to him. He opened the bag and his eyes widened.

"Raspberry macrons! I love these!" He said happily. "How did you know?"

Marinette smiled to herself. "Lucky guess," she said casually.

"Thanks, Marinette," he smiled at her. "I guess I should get going now. Hopefully my fath- family haven't noticed my absence. Otherwise…well, a skinned cat would be the least of our worries." He stuffed his hand into the bag, pulled out a cookie, and offered it to Marinette. "Until next time, princess," he said with a bow.

"Good night minou," she said fondly as he launched himself from the balcony.

It wasn't until he was out of sight that she re-opened the trap door and disappeared into her room.

* * *

Adrien hopped into his room via window and de-transformed in a flash of green light.

"Oh….so…hungry…" Plagg whined, zooming into the cabinet where Adrien kept a stash of camembert for the gluttonous kwami. Adrien, meanwhile, flopped heavily on his bed, trying to process the mystery that was Marinette. In his sleep-deprived state, this was no easy task.

"She cares about Chat Noir just as much as she did about Adrien…or I guess Adam, technically…this morning," he mumbled tiredly. "Does that mean…just-friends-like care, or like-like-you care?"

Plagg scoffed. "You humans make everything so complicated. Just get to know her. You'll figure it out." He stuffed another large wedge of cheese into his tiny mouth before a wicked smirk spread over his face. "You called her Bugaboo," he said in a sing-song voice. "Pretty sure YOU'RE not thinking of her as 'just-a-friend'."

Adrien groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I really did that?" He asked, peeking at Plagg through his fingers.

"Yup," Plagg said, popping the 'p' sound. "You were still mostly asleep, so I don't think she made much of it, though. You've really got it bad. Have you given up on Ladybug then?"

Adrien was silent for a moment, thinking. He had grown apart from her in the recent few years as the akuma attacks became less frequent and Ladybug was dealing with her own problems. Adrien himself had had quite a bit on his plate with his university studies as well. He still cared for Ladybug deeply, but he was starting to give up hope that she would ever love him in return. And revealing their identities was still out of the question, what with Hawkmoth still out there somewhere. Marinette, though, was a real person, whose real name he knew, with a real life and real problems and challenges. He could get to know her as a whole person.

However, would she like him, the REAL him? The person he portrayed as a civilian was dignified, poised, and perfect to appease his father. Chat Noir, while a little bit over-the-top at times, was more of his real self; flirty, confident, maybe a little annoying with his corny jokes. Would she like both sides of him?

His logical brain answered yes, of course she would. She had been kind to him both as himself and as Chat Noir; she'd even given him a pet name- Chaton, just like Ladybug had. _You weren't exactly being your normal Chat persona tonight though, were you?_ He questioned himself. _More like… an angsty teenager. _He grimaced. He felt he had missed some lessons in peer social skills in all his time being homeschooled. He wished for the millionth time that he'd been allowed to attend school like a normal kid.

He pulled himself out of his thoughts, turning back to Plagg. "I'm going to take your advice and see where this goes with Marinette. Ladybug will always be special to me, but I think it's time to try something else. Marinette is real, and Ladybug…well, I still hardly know anything about her, really. She doesn't see me that way, but Marinette maybe does…or could, given the opportunity."

Plagg gave a half-hearted cheer. "Glad to hear it. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed. Good night, Adrien."

"Night Plagg," Adrien said, mind still turning. He was remembering the feel of holding her in his arms, her head leaning on his shoulder, her fierce hug, feeling warm and cared for and safe. His last thought before sleep overtook him was of her beautiful eyes sparkling with laughter.

* * *

Marinette woke up before the sun, dragging herself down to the bakery, turning on the oven and starting to bake the bread for the day. She wished she'd gotten more sleep, but her evening just sitting quietly with Chat Noir had been well worth it. It wasn't that she had romantic feelings for Chat, she told herself. She just…felt safe and protected with him there. Not alone.

_Not buying that…_ Tikki interjected sleepily.

_Whatever, Tikki. Think whatever you like. I'm NOT in love with him. _She thought back stubbornly. _Even if I were, you said yourself that it's way too dangerous, as Ladybug or as a civilian. _

Tikki sat silently for a moment. _It is dangerous, _she admitted. _But the fact of the matter is, you need someone. You've been mostly alone with your feelings for a long time, Marinette. It's been good that, by some miracle, you haven't been akumatized. If Chat can help you…I think you should let him. Or Adam. Or someone. You can reach out and have the support that you've denied yourself. Give yourself permission for that. Let someone in._

Marinette sighed. They'd had this conversation before. Marinette hated to bother her friends with her problems; she wanted to help people, not make things worse. Yet, she knew Tikki was right. She thought back to Chat's bitter tone as he talked to her about Ladybug's problems and how hurt he'd been when she didn't open up to him.

_I'll…think about it, _she placated Tikki.

_You opened up to Adam well enough yesterday, _Tikki said slyly. _I was proud of you for taking that step._

Marinette smiled tiredly, thinking back to her blind date. She HAD opened up to him, hadn't she? She'd talked to him, a complete stranger, about her fears, her pain, her hopes and aspirations…Marinette groaned.

_He probably thinks I'm crazy, _she thought to Tikki. _No normal person shares that much about themself to someone they just met! _

_He may not have noticed, _Tikki suggested. _Remember, he said he hasn't had a lot of interaction with people his own age. And he was sharing some pretty personal stuff himself. _

_I just felt…safe with him. Like I'd known him for years. My instincts were telling me that I could trust him, _Marinette said slowly.

_Well, trust that instinct then, _ Tikki said confidently. _Who knows, maybe this could be good for both of you._

* * *

Adrien woke the next morning as the sun burst through the window. He was still tired, but still couldn't bring himself to regret staying half the night on Marinette's balcony. He dragged himself to the shower and through his normal morning routines, then gathered his gear before heading to fencing class. He'd become even more skilled than Monsieur D'Argentcour in the last several years, so the elder gentleman had put Adrien's skills to work teaching less experienced fencers part of the time.

As the class ended, he headed for the locker rooms, taking off his helmet and his white fencing suit and packing away his gear before pulling out his phone. He was surprised, but pleased, to see a text from Marinette.

Marinette: Hey Adam, how is your day going?

Adrien paused. It was weird; he loved not having someone instantly recognize him as the famous model or the son of fashion guru Gabriel Agreste and therefore plaster themself all over him for his fame or his money, but it bothered him more than he'd anticipated for Marinette to call him by a name that wasn't his.

_You should have corrected her in the beginning, _he admonished himself. _She's a great person, she wouldn't have looked at you differently._

_But I didn't know that at the time, _he argued back. _No going back now. I'll just have to find a way to tell her. Preferably before something happens and she finds out I lied to her. _

He hadn't known Marinette very long, but one thing he knew that Ladybug hated was people who lied. Marinette was probably the same way, he decided. It was important that he tell her soon. But…maybe not over text? Hmmm…

Adrien: Hey Marinette, doing ok. Pretty tired, but fencing practice was fun. What are you up to?

Marinette: Had a shift in the bakery early this morning. Pretty tired, too. Think I might go take a nap.

Adrien chuckled. Chat had certainly kept her up late.

Adrien: Can I join you? ;)

Marinette: …

Adrien: I was only teasing. I have an English lesson this afternoon, followed by some business stuff to take care of for Father. :P I'd much rather curl up in a sunspot and sleep though.

Marinette: XD Maybe you'll be able to during your business meeting.

Adrien chuckled again.

Adrien: Father would skin me like a cat if I fell asleep in a business meeting. Anyway, it's nothing that important yet, but still mindlessly busy enough that I have to be awake. He just wants me to file paperwork or something like that. :P

Marinette: Well, if you have time tonight, want to meet up? There's a park near my house, the one with the statue of Ladybug and Chat Noir. I know it's getting colder out, but a walk might be fun.

Adrien's heart began to pound. He wanted to, so badly. It would give him a chance to explain, at any rate. But…he was "grounded", whatever that actually meant when you were an adult… He'd have to sneak out again. Maybe as Chat Noir…?

Adrien: Sounds great. What time were you thinking?

Marinette: Is 7:30 ok?

Adrien: Yep. Can't wait! :) See you then.

He packed up his phone and his fencing bag and headed out to the car that was waiting for him, trying to plan how he'd get out without his father noticing.

* * *

In the end, Adrien excused himself to bed early after dinner, saying he was exhausted. He didn't have to pretend, because he really WAS tired, but once he'd locked himself in his room, he transformed and leapt through his open window and out into the evening air.

Once he'd gone a couple blocks, he dropped down into an alleyway and de-transformed into himself. He had made sure not to wear his usual clothes again, but had tried to look a little more put-together than the last time. He wore his jeans and signature orange converses, along with a casual green button-up shirt that matched his eyes under his grey hoodie and no cap. He walked along the streets to the park Marinette had indicated. He scanned the area with his eyes. Marinette was waiting for him, sitting on a bench with her sketchbook off to the side of the fountain, which was currently devoid of water. His breath caught in his throat as he watched her; she really was breathtaking, he thought wryly with a crooked smile.

_You just made a pun in your head, _Plagg said. _Is that nerdy or what? Even _I'm _not that bad…_

Just at that same moment, she noticed him staring and waved him over, standing to meet him as approached her.

"Hey Adam," she said, smiling up at him.

Adrien grinned back at her nervously "Hi Marinette," he replied.

Evidently he hadn't done a great job keep his insecurity off his face, because Marinette reached out to him. "What's wrong?" She asked, placing a hand on his arm.

_Now or never, I guess,_ Adrien thought, taking a deep breath and putting his hand gently on top of hers, sitting down on the bench as he did so, effectively pulling her down next to him.

"Marinette, I have something to tell you. Please, will you hear me out before you say or do anything?" He knew he was almost begging, but he didn't care. He just wanted her to understand, to not hate him for deceiving her.

Her eyes narrowed, but she nodded.

"I…I haven't been entirely honest with you." Her eyes narrowed more. He must have been right about her opinion on dishonesty. "But picture this: a lonely kid runs away from his overbearing father for a morning and meets a beautiful, amazing girl in a cafe who seems to think she knows his name. But in truth, the name she thinks she knows isn't his real name. However, the runaway kid is so captivated by her, and so wishing for a friend that he lets her believe he's that person she came to meet. They talk and get to know one another, and that kid…realizes he wants her to know him for real." He took another deep breath, trying to gauge her reaction, but her face remained carefully blank.

"What are you trying to say?" She asked when he'd been quiet for several moments.

"Mari…my name isn't Adam. I-it's…."

"Marinette!" A voice called from across the park.

There was a girl with glasses walking purposefully towards them, along with a boy, also wearing glasses that she was towing by the hand. Another boy followed them, wearing a blue scarf around his neck.

"Alya, Nino, what are you doing here?" Marinette asked, standing to meet them. She hugged the girl and the boy wearing glasses before the girl- Alya, he reminded himself- spoke up.

"Girl, I can't believe you missed it! Adam was waiting for an hour, but you never showed!" She indicated the boy wearing the blue scarf.

O_h great, _Adrien thought. _An audience is JUST what we need…_

_I did try to warn you kid, _Plagg interjected.

_Oh, shut up…_ Adrien grumbled mentally.

He sneaked a glance at Marinette, who looked confused. He could see the wheels turning in her head as she put the pieces together, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Then he saw the lightbulb go on in her head and panicked.

"E-excuse us for a moment, won't you?" He said to her friends, who hadn't noticed him yet in all the commotion. He grabbed Marinette's hand and pulled her quickly to the other side of the fountain before she, or they, had a chance to protest. Once they'd stopped, she quickly pulled her hand from his grip.

"Y-you're not Adam?" She half-whispered. Adrien shook his head. "Y-you weren't the one Alya set up with me for a blind date?" Adrien shook his head again. "You…you think I'm beautiful?" She asked hesitantly.

"The most beautiful lady I've ever laid eyes on," he said sincerely with a shaky hint of a smile. "I've never met anyone like you before." She blushed deeply, but continued on.

"And…everything else you told me about yourself is true?"

"Absolutely true. I really do fence, speak Chinese, and have a father who doesn't play well with others. I even really went to ESCP, by some remarkable coincidence."

He could see her friends walking around the fountain, trying to find out what was happening with their friend. Alya was looking livid.

"So…?" She prompted him.

"M-my name is Adrien. Adrien Agreste." He said quietly, watching her face. Her jaw dropped and her eyes grew wide. He began to speak more quickly, desperate for her to understand. "I didn't tell you because…because I thought you might leave, or that you would look at me differently if you knew who I was, and…and I really wanted to get to know you. I care about you, Marinette. More than I thought possible in just a couple of days since we met. Please. Please believe me, I didn't do this to hurt you."

"Mari! What the hell is going on here?!" Alya called. "Who is that you're with?"

"Please, Mari." Adrien pleaded softly.

Marinette was still looking slightly shell-shocked, but she finally met his eyes properly and nodded once, looking determined.

His heart leapt in his chest. She believed him! Or, at least, she was hearing him out.

Marinette turned to Alya and the two boys, who had caught up with them and were now eyeing them suspiciously.

"This is A-adrien. I met him by accident the day I was supposed to meet Adam. My phone fried and I thought I was still on time, but with the time change, I was an hour late." She didn't explain more than that, and Adrien was grateful. He had the feeling that if Alya knew the rest of the story just now, he would probably be in a significant amount of trouble. Apparently Marinette thought so, too, and by some miracle, she wasn't throwing him under the bus.

_It's more than I deserve, honestly, _he thought. He shuddered at what the outcome could have been- Marinette storming away from him, blocking his number like he was some creepy stalker, and him losing her forever. He couldn't bear the thought of her hating him.

_Melodramatic much? _Snarked Plagg. Adrien ignored him.

He watched Alya's face, hoping she wouldn't connect the dots to his last name. The last thing he needed right now was a swarm of crazed fans. Luckily for him, she seemed oblivious. Fashion must not have been her thing, he decided.

Alya was now talking to Marinette. "…let me set up another date for you and Adam," she was saying. "He still really wants to get to know you. Which is fortunate since you stood him up last time…"

Marinette was silent for a moment, seeming to think it over. Adrien's eyes narrowed as a jealous monster made itself known inside his chest. He clamped down on his bottom lip so as to keep from bursting out that Marinette was _his,_ that they were together. He'd already made that mistake with Ladybug once, leading to the unfortunate battle with the akuma, Copycat. He would not make the same mistake twice. No matter how much he wanted to, this was Marinette's choice, and if he lied to her friends in front of her face, no doubt there would be hell to pay.

Marinette seemed to pull herself out of her reverie.

"We'll see," she said finally. "I'm pretty busy the next couple weeks though, the bakery is catering three weddings, so I'm going to be pulling a lot of double shifts." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, then said, "Adam, why don't I get your number, and if I have some time free, I'll call you."

_Non-committal. Nice._ Plagg remarked. _Maybe she likes you more than you thought._

_Maybe, _Adrien said doubtfully. _She didn't out-right tell him 'no', either though. _

_Well, you DID just get done telling her that you aren't who she thought you were, _Plagg said fairly. _Maybe she's reserving judgement until she gets to finish talking to you alone. _

Adrien mentally nodded, watching as Marinette pulled out her phone to add Adam's number. That was probably all he could really expect, if he was being fair. But he longed to transform into Chat Noir and carry Marinette off through the rooftops, away from everyone else until she agreed to be with him and only him.

Marinette was waving good-bye to her other friends now as they walked away, Alya still giving Adrien a sideways glance that clearly said, _Hurt her and I'll break your pretty face._


	3. Chapter 3

Marinette turned back to the gorgeous blond standing off to the side once her friends were gone. Her eyes narrowed.

"You lied to me Ada…Adrien," she said, feeling a little hurt.

Adrien studied his hands in a familiar gesture, his face pink. Why was that so familiar? Marinette brushed it off.

"I-I know," he said quietly, looking guilty. "I'm so- so sorry. I don't have any good excuses." His normally shining green eyes were now dull, still inspecting his fingers as though he didn't dare watch her reaction. It looked like it was costing him dearly to say his next sentence. "If you don't want to have anything more to do with me, I-I understand."

Marinette's face softened as she watched him. She reached out hesitantly and put her hand on his arm. "Hey," she said softly. He jumped slightly at her touch, looking at her in the eye. "I understand why you did what you did. And I forgive you," she said. His eyes got big and round, and his jaw dropped in surprise.

"J-just like that?" He asked, astounded. "But- but I lied! And you hate liars! And…"

"A-Adrien, calm down!" She spoke over him, eyes shining, before they narrowed again. "Wait, how do you…no, never mind. Look, you came to me and told me the truth…or at least, you tried before Alya turned up. You wanted to be honest and make things right, and that's what matters. I understand that you wanted to be anonymous for a while. As long as there are no more lies between us, I think everything will be fine. Friends?" She asked, extending a hand for a handshake.

Adrien grinned down at her, his smile lighting up the whole space they occupied. "Friends," he agreed, taking her hand and kissing it instead.

Marinette giggled. "You're quite the charmer, you know that?" She said, making no move to remove her hand from his.

Adrien laughed and twined his fingers through hers. "I try, fair lady," he said with a bow. "So…about that walk…"

Adrien was floating, bouncing. She didn't hate him! She wanted to be friends with him!

_She's totally in love with you, _Plagg said bluntly. _Nothing else would explain why she forgave you so easily. _

_Stop it, Plagg,_ Adrien grumbled mentally. _She hasn't said anything like that yet. _

Marinette still had made no move to drop his hand, and he held on all the tighter.

"So…Adrien Agreste? Like…the model, son of Gabriel Agreste?" Marinette said, turning to him, looking nervous now. She was blushing.

Adrien nodded. "That's me," he said, a note of bitterness in his voice, now studying her hand entwined in his. He stayed silent as he brooded on that for a moment. Was she going to treat him differently now? He hoped not.

He looked up as he saw, as well as felt, her squeeze his hand. "It must have been hard, being alone all the time," she said. "But I want you to know, you're not alone anymore." Her blue eyes were blazing with determination. "I- I know I only just met you, but if you ever need someone, you can count on me. That's a promise."

_Is she serious? But…but…_ all intelligent thought stalled.

_Totally in looove, _Plagg's sing-song voice sounded in his head.

Adrien's eyes filled. She- she really cared for him that much?

On impulse, he crashed into her, hugging her tightly, resting his cheek on the top of her head and drinking in the smell of her hair.

"Thank you," he said quietly, voice cracking with the effort of keeping the emotion from spilling out. He didn't succeed though. The effect of finally have the physical attention he was starved of made it even harder to control himself, and soon tears were silently dripping down his face and onto her shirt. He was probably making her uncomfortably wet, but she paid it no mind, continuing to hold him and stroke his hair to calm him. His tears dried, but he made no effort to pull away as he calmed. He was completely content and relaxed, just as he had been that night on Marinette's balcony. He had to clamp down on his lip before he started purring again though. That would be embarrassing…not to mention give him away completely. He still couldn't bring himself to move from her arms though. He wanted to stay here just like this forever…

"I had a huge crush on you, you know. Back in lycee," she admitted as she drew back from him a bit, face flushing. "I was a pretty typical ridiculous fan-girl, to be honest. I never dreamed I'd actually meet you though, let alone really KNOW you." She shook her head. "Oh, the irony…"

Adrien smiled wryly. "Well, then, maybe I'm glad you got to know me BEFORE you knew who I was," he teased. He continued on before his brain caught up,"Otherwise the results might have been_ cat_-astrophic."

Marinette looked up at him sharply.

_Uh oh. I said something wrong, didn't I? Maybe she doesn't like puns. Maybe she doesn't like cats! Maybe…_

"You…you just made a cat joke," she said giggling. "The _purr_-fectly fashionable Adrien Agreste likes.._cat jokes!" _She laughed even harder, and after a moment, Adrien joined in as he pictured himself walking casually up to his father, slinging an arm around his shoulders while cracking cat jokes as his father stood stock still, gazing at him in bewilderment. Suddenly he was laughing so hard he could barely stand, doubled over. Marinette next to him was in no better shape, tears of laughter streaming down her face as she clutched her middle. Finally, he collapsed onto a park bench, pulling Marinette down onto his lap and wrapping her in his arms as they struggled to get a hold of themselves. It was then he noticed how close he was to her. He calmed now, losing himself in watching her. She really was mesmerizing.

Unfortunately for him, once she calmed and noticed her surroundings more fully, she extricated herself from his grip and slid off his lap, sending a myriad of sensations through his body. He watched her disappointedly. She poked him on the tip of his nose in a familiar gesture. Ladybug always…

"Hold on, let's not get ahead of ourselves," she said, cutting across his thoughts.

"S-sorry, I…" Adrien started, trailing off when he found he wasn't as sorry as he probably should have been. He turned to studying his fingers intently again.

"W-well, what I meant was…" Marinette stopped for a moment, unsure. "I…I do really like you Adrien, and not because you're famous…but…"

"But you don't see me that way?" He finished for her. He looked away, feeling disappointed. How could he have thought someone as wonderful as her…

But Marinette was shaking her head. And she was turning red as a tomato. "T-that's not it at all. I…I really do like you, and I think it could be more in time, but…I mean, we just met each other yesterday, and… maybe we could take things slow? See what happens?"

Adrien's face brightened. She…liked him? The same way he liked her?

This was new territory for him. The only other girl he'd ever really liked that way had been Ladybug, and she had pushed him away at every attempt to get close to her.

_Holy crap, what do I say? _He panicked to Plagg.

"I'd like that," he heard himself say, as if his mouth had taken the initiative of its own accord. He smiled at her and touched her hand hesitantly, as though asking her permission. His grin widened when she took his hand in her own and twined her fingers in his.

After a beat, he asked, "Does this mean you're not going out with that other guy?"

Marinette just laughed.

* * *

They sat in silence for a while, hand in hand, lost in their own thoughts. Finally Adrien got up the courage to bring up the topic again.

"Mari…I might be really bad with social norms, but…" he paused, looking down at their hands intertwined. "I really like this. And I want to be with you….And I really, REALLY don't want you to date that other guy," he mumbled finally, feeling childish and strangely possessive.

Marinette smirked at him. "Jealous?" She asked slyly, squeezing his hand.

Adrien frowned. This wasn't encouraging. But he pushed on.

"I know you wanted to go slow, and I will respect your wishes. But…" _I love you and can't stand the thought of you with someone else, _he finished in his head. His eyes widened as he finished the thought. He loved her?

Marinette turned to him, squeezing his hand. "I want to be with you, too, you know. When I met you it was almost like…"

"…like I'd known you forever. Like I knew you as well as I knew my own name," Adrien finished earnestly, throwing his arm around her and pulling her into his side. He watched as Marinette's big blue eyes got enormous and her jaw dropped.

"How did you know?" She asked, staring up into his face.

"Because I felt it, too," he answered breathlessly. He wanted to kiss her, his heart beating erratically… "Like a magnet, an invisible thread…"

"The other half of a soul…" Marinette continued in a delicate whisper as she leaned her head onto his shoulder, relaxing into his touch.

"Like I'd come home," he whispered back, settling for dropping a kiss in her hair.

The tension in his body and emotions was making his limbs quiver. He wanted to get so much closer, but forced himself to remain frozen, his arms wrapping her up and holding her to his chest.

His brain was short-circuiting, he was sure. Realizing that, for some reason, it was as though a dam in his chest had burst and all his emotions had come spilling out everywhere, all in front of this girl he loved, wasn't very reassuring. Yet, in the short span of two days, she'd seen him cry, seen him lose every shred of his dignity laughing, and now he was experiencing the strongest emotions for another person he'd possibly ever had before, all because she was here. Even Ladybug, in all her glory, had never effected him as much as he was right now.

"Adrien?" She asked, cutting through his thoughts.

"Yes?" He said, voice cracking slightly.

"We should probably go home now," she said reluctantly. "I have to be up early in the morning."

"Five more minutes," he pleaded softly. She said nothing, but snuggled into him again. He had to hold his breath for a moment to stop the purring sound in his chest before it escaped.

* * *

Marinette climbed the stairs to her apartment over the bakery in a daze. As unfair as it was to him, Marinette couldn't bring herself to want to go out with Adam, not now that Adrien (she loved his name, it suited him much better than the false one) had made such an impression on her. Adam was probably a great person, but…

_Sounds like love to me, _Tikki threw in. _Giving up all other options? It's definitely love._

_How could it be? We've only known each other for two days, _Marinette protested.

_The other half of your soul? Pulled by a magnet or an invisible thread? That's not something to be taken lightly, _Tikki said knowingly. _Many of my holders have felt the same for their soulmates. They're destined to be in each other's lives forever._

_But…so then we don't have any choice but to be together? _Marinette asked, alarmed, mentally recoiling.

_No, that's not it. I mean, soulmates, once they find each other, can't help but be drawn together. But it's their own individual choice as to whether the connection is romantic or not. They might be best friends, bitter enemies, or lovers, but they will always be drawn together._

Marinette mulled this over.

_It's obvious that _he's_ not taking it lightly, _Tikki added laughing. _That poor boy was almost overcome just sitting there next to you. Did you notice how much he was shaking?_

_Yes, but I wasn't sure if it was him, me, or the cold weather was to blame, _Marinette admitted.

All she'd wanted to do was to climb up on his lap and kiss him senseless, even after she'd just asked him to slow down…

_I think if you'd followed through with that, you probably would have killed him, _Tikki said dryly.

Marinette laughed softly. It was an interesting feeling, knowing you had power over someone like that. And yet, she couldn't deny that, if he'd asked her to stay in the park all night with him, she probably would have. His pull over her was equal in power, it seemed.

She let her thoughts wander for a bit, finally settling on Chat Noir for a moment.

_Tikki, _she said suddenly, _didn't Master Fu once say that Chat and Ladybug are two halves of a whole, like soulmates?_

Tikki said nothing, but an uneasy vibe came from her. Marinette's mind turned faster, feeling like she was trying to put together a puzzle, but some of the pieces were missing. Finally, she gave up, changing into her pajamas and climbing into bed before sending a quick text to Adrien.

Marinette: Thanks for meeting up with me, I had a great time. Sry about Alya, I'll smooth things over with her. Good night 3

* * *

Adrien was flopped on his bed, still fully dressed. Plagg had disappeared as soon as they arrived back in his room. His mind was still on hyperdrive mode, whirling and swirling until he could barely sit still. He had a lot of pent-up energy and nowhere to go. His limbs had finally stopped shaking, but he was still restless.

Upon receiving Marinette's text, he stopped moving. She'd signed it with a heart, he noticed with a dazed expression. Suddenly he was replaying everything; the feel of her hand in his, her body pressed up against him as she comforted him, her weight in his lap as they laughed together over a stupid cat joke…

"Someone needs a cold shower," Plagg smirked from across the room.

Adrien turned red, scowling at the tiny black cat kwami. Unfortunately, he was right. Adrien decided to go work out for a bit before coming back to the shower though. It might help him to work off some of his nervous energy.

"Plagg, claws out!" He said, leaping back out of the window into the night.

He followed the same route as he had done the previous night, doing a few laps on the rooftops around the city center. Then he came to rest on a familiar roof with a balcony, gasping for breath. From his position, he could see Marinette sound asleep in bed. His gaze softened as he watched her, looking so peaceful. His heart leapt as he noticed her long-sleeve black and green pajamas with tiny cats on them, and a black hood with cat ears. He loved this girl, he decided. There was nothing else for it. He loved her, unequivocally and completely. As he watched, she turned over and mumbled something in her sleep.

He longed to drop silently down from the balcony and snuggle into her. _What was the harm, right?_ He thought, before changing his mind. _No, I really shouldn't… _Just as he thought this, she began to toss and turn, obviously unsettled in her dreams.

"No, Chat NO!" She screamed. It seemed his decision was made for him. Jumping quickly down from the roof and landing lightly on the balcony, he opened the trap door and dropped down into her room, placing a gentle clawed hand on her forehead.

"Mari, it's ok, calm down," he whispered.

Her eyes flew open and she sat up quickly in her bed, chest heaving, before catching sight of Chat Noir and launching herself into his arms, breaking down into sobs.

"It's ok, you're safe now," he whispered, rubbing her back lightly.

"I-I'm so g-glad you're ok," she hiccuped, trying to calm down.

"Shh, it's ok," he reassured her, holding her tighter. "What happened? Do you want to talk about it?"

She was quiet for a moment, taking a couple of deep breaths, before speaking. "I was dreaming about that time when the Gamer 2.0 was the active villain akuma, and you sacrificed yourself for m- I mean, Ladybug. But instead of the Miraculous Ladybug fixing everything at the end…you never came back. Y-you died, and it was all m-my f-fault!" She broke down into sobs again, squeezing him tightly as though afraid that this was the dream and she'd wake up to find that he really was gone.

Chat tightened his hold on her, remembering that particular mission. Something about what she'd just said niggled at the back of his mind…

"Why would it be your fault?" He asked, eyebrows furrowing as he pulled back to look at her. "You had nothing to do with Gamer 2.0, because the only people to remember everything after the fact were me and Lady…bug…." He said slowly.

Marinette's face betrayed terror for just a second, before she did her best to push it away. "It doesn't matter, it was just a stupid dream. It wasn't real," she said, trying to sound confident, but her voice just came out shaky.

Chat pushed the thoughts away. Right now, Marinette needed him. There would be time to speculate later. He scooped her up gently with her blanket, hopping up through the trapdoor to the balcony before sitting down on a chair and pulling her onto his lap once again, holding her as though she were a child, and wrapping her in the blanket. She tensed, then laid her head on his chest tucked under his chin, listening to the sound of his steady heartbeat. He stroked her loose hair with his clawed fingers, desperately wishing to be rid of the gloves so that he could feel the silky smoothness in his hands. Just as he thought this, the gloves of his suit disappeared, claws and all, leaving only his bare human hands. It seemed Plagg wanted to help, he thought. He reached out to stroke her hair, but hesitated this time, slowly relishing the feel of her soft hair between his fingers. Marinette sat up slightly and looked around at him as she noticed the change.

"How did you do that?" She asked, looking amazed. "Have you been able to do that before?"

Chat shook his head. "I've never seen that happen before. I just wished the gloves were gone and they disappeared."

Marinette stared at him for a moment, then shrugged, settling back into him, enjoying the feeling of his bare hands in her hair. He was gentle, slowly smoothing it back on her forehead and temple, then twining it around his fingers as he followed its length down her back.

They sat like this for a while, neither speaking. Eventually, Marinette's eyes closed and her breathing slowed, her body becoming much less tense. Chat knew he should take her back to bed and be on his way home, but… _five more minutes, _he thought. He was relaxed again, and at peace. He let a low purr escape him. He didn't want to go home to his bed where he would be alone in his cold, empty room. Finally, he convinced himself it was the right thing to do and jumped lightly down through the trap door, settling Marinette into bed and tucking her in with a kiss to the top of her head. Just as he was smoothing her hair one last time and making to turn away, a hand shot out and grabbed his hand.

"Chaton," she mumbled.

"Yes princess?" He whispered.

She didn't reply, but settled into sleep. He smiled at her fondly, then slipped away.


	4. Chapter 4

For Marinette, the week passed by in a blur. She had two weddings this week and one the next to cater for, besides making all the regular breads and pastries to sell in the store, so she was doing double shifts all week. She was waking up before the sun and then baking and selling all day long until she finally closed down, making about 14 hours of work every day that week. By the end of each day, she had little to no energy left. The best she was able to do was drag herself upstairs to bed.

She felt bad, but she hadn't really even had time to connect with anyone, including Adrien. He'd texted her various times, but she was only able to send back 3-5 word answers because of how many things she was trying to juggle.

By Thursday, her anxiety got the better of her. She was attempting to make a batch of cream puffs for one of the wedding parties, but they just were not turning out right. On top of that, she'd already burned several dozen cookies and spilled the frosting for the cupcakes she was supposed to be frosting. By her third attempt at the cream puffs, she just wanted to scream. Looking around to find that there were no customers in the front and she was alone, she sat down behind the counter on the floor.

_Papa would be appalled, _she thought. _I'm totally ruining everything! Why did I think I could do this?_

Burying her face in her hands and resting it on top of her bent knees, she didn't hear someone come in.

"Marinette?" A deep voice called.

Marinette didn't move. Maybe they would go away if she ignored them, she thought.

She heard the footsteps coming closer, but didn't look up until she felt someone sit down next to her, putting an arm around her.

"Mari, what's wrong?"

_Adrien, _she thought, breathing in the familiar smell of his cologne.

She relaxed into his arms for a moment, before taking a breath to explain.

"I just have a lot going on, but…I'm just messing everything up," she mumbled into his shoulder.

He sat quietly with her for a few minutes, just holding her, then said, "Maybe I could help? I don't know a lot about cooking, but I learn pretty fast and I can follow a recipe," he offered hesitantly.

Marinette looked up at him. "Really? You'd do that?"

He nodded and gave her a small smile. "Come on, what do we need to do first?"

* * *

A short while later, Adrien was decked out in a large blue apron that had belonged to Marinette's father as he carefully read the cream puffs recipe.

"Any instructions before I attempt to get started, Mil- Mari?" He corrected himself.

"I made the filling already, but the pastry part I keep making wrong. It's either too gooey or not flaky enough or I overcook it…I don't know. If you mess it up I can't be that upset, I already had to redo it three times," she said ruefully.

"Ok," he said with a playful two-fingered salute. They worked mostly in silence for a while, Adrien whispering parts of the recipe under his breath as he concentrated, while Marinette made more frosting for the cupcakes. She appreciated his steady presence; it made her feel less alone in the chaos.

"So…" he asked as he put the cream puff shells in the oven and set an alarm on his phone, "of all the things you do at the bakery, what's your favorite thing to work on? Any particular recipe you like making, or particular part of the process?"

Marinette didn't even have to think. "Cake decorating, definitely," she answered confidently.

Adrien processed this. "The design aspect?" He guessed.

Marinette nodded. "I love the feeling of getting to combine the colors and textures together to make something beautiful," she said. "I may not have been able to do fashion design, but if I had to give it up, cake decorating is definitely the next best thing."

Adrien watched her as she spoke. She still seemed sad about giving up her dreams, but he admired how she was able to be positive about her circumstances. "Maybe one day you'll have the chance to follow your dreams," he said encouragingly.

She smiled at him before turning back to her cupcakes. After a moment, she turned back to him.

"How did you escape today, anyway? I mean, I know you said your father pretty much has you under lock and key…"

Adrien smirked, as though at some inside joke. "I was supposed to have Chinese lessons all morning, but the regular instructor was ill, and the…substitute gave me half the lesson off. So I decided to take a walk to visit you until my driver comes back to pick me up."

Marinette smiled. "How long do you have?"

Adrien sighed. "Not long. The lesson officially ends in about an hour and I still have to head back to where classes were today."

Marinette smiled at him warmly. "Well, I really appreciate your help anyways. Just having you here for a little while made things a lot brighter."

Adrien sauntered over to her, a wicked grin on his face. "Thanks, I'm pretty irresistible," he boasted playfully, striking a tough-looking modeling pose. "Especially when I do things like…this!" He scooped up a finger full of her purple frosting, painting her cheek with it before leaping away as she stared at him in shock. Then her expression changed to fierce determination as she picked up her pastry bag of white frosting.

"Uh oh," muttered Adrien, backing away. When Ladybug got that look, that was when the villains had better watch out, because they were going DOWN.

* * *

About 15 minutes later, Adrien and Marinette were sitting on the floor of the kitchen together, laughing and sputtering and completely covered from head to toe in frosting. The kitchen was a disaster, except for Adrien's perfect-looking cream puff shells, for which he had called a time-out to remove from the oven. Marinette, however, had seen it as an opportunity and had smeared his golden hair with purple frosting until he looked highly reminiscent of an akuma victim with their oddly colored hair and clothes.

"Oh man, that was so FUN!" Adrien enthused, running his filthy hands through his purple-stained hair. "Can we do it again, please?" He begged, reminding Marinette of a little kid at Christmas. She laughed happily as she watched him.

"I think I need to get this place cleaned up so I can keep working," she said regretfully. "And if you want your dad to be none the wiser about your…activities…you might want to take a shower and change. I think someone will probably notice if you come home from your supposed "Chinese lesson" with purple hair."

Adrien sighed. "Yeah, you're probably right. Is it ok if I use your shower then?" He asked.

"Sure," she replied, "Just give me a minute to find you a towel and washcloth and I'll leave you to it."

He followed her up the stairs into her apartment and waited while she retrieved the items, looking around. He noticed a photo of her and her parents on the shelf, taken probably about 10 years previously. He turned away from the happy scene as she returned with a towel and washcloth, handing them over.

"There should be soap in the shower," she instructed. "If you throw your clothes outside the door, I can wash them quick so you can wear them home. I don't really have clothes that would probably fit you. My dad's clothes would be too big…" she rambled.

"Thanks Mari," he said with a smile, before taking the towel and disappearing into the bathroom. She waited in the kitchen, washing the frosting off her face and definitely trying hard not to imagine her friend getting ready to hand her his clothes…

She heard the door open, then close quickly again and the shower turn on, so she turned back to gather his clothes and throw them into the wash. Then, after hurriedly changing her own clothes and throwing a baseball cap on backwards over her frosting-streaked hair, she descended to the bakery, returning to work.

* * *

Adrien quickly washed and dried, not loving the idea of having to leave Marinette with a giant mess to clean up, especially one that, technically, was his fault. However once he'd finished showering, he realized the only things he had to put on were the towel Marinette had handed him and his boxers, which had (thankfully) not gotten covered in frosting. Figuring there wasn't much in the way of options, Adrien shrugged, pulling on his boxers and wrapping the towel around his waist for good measure.

During his modeling career, he'd gotten used to not having a lot of privacy. However, he hardly felt comfortable walking around in his underclothing in front of Marinette. So, once covered as much as he was able, Adrien emerged from the bathroom, intending to find something he could put on so he could help Marinette clean up the bakery kitchen.

As he opened the door and turned towards the apartment's kitchenette, he happened to see a streak of bright red zoom past out of the corner of his eye and a soft THUD as something fell to the floor. He turned, watching and listening for a moment, his senses on high alert. He crouched into a defensive stance and moved slowly in the direction he'd heard the sound, but the only thing he found was a chocolate chip cookie in the middle of the kitchen floor. He decided to continue to look around when…

"A-Adrien!"

Adrien whirled around. There, at the top of the stairs, was Marinette, eyes nearly popping out of her head clearly visible as she peeked between her fingers. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

"Sorry Mari, I was going to look for something to put on so I could help you clean up the bakery, but…" he remembered the flash of red. "I think someone else might be here," he said, quickly turning his back on her and putting his body between her and whatever might be hiding in her apartment, eyes darting quickly around the space and crouching into a defensive posture again.

"What happened, Adrien?" She asked, sounding nervous. He didn't turn to look at her as he answered.

"I came out of the bathroom and there was a flash of red, and I heard a noise and found this," he held up the cookie, "on the kitchen floor. Unless you're in the habit of playing with laser pointers or leaving whole cookies laying around on your kitchen floor, I think there's someone else here." He halfway turned to look at her now. "You…DON'T have a laser or leave cookies on your floor, do you?"

She was looking like a deer in the headlights, but shook her head 'no'.

"Stay here, Mari, I'm going to go have a look around," he said, in a voice that brokered no arguments as he carefully moved away.

* * *

It took all of Marinette's self control to not facepalm as Adrien moved away, silent as a cat, to check for intruders.

_Tikki…_she groaned. _How are we going to get out of this one? He SAW you! _

She sighed. This wasn't good. If he was anything like Chat, he wouldn't be satisfied until things made sense.

_I'm not going to be able to convince him it's safe here unless he finds out what it is that he saw. How do I explain this? I already told him it's not lasers or me knocking cookies on the floor, so what other excuses do we have?_

_Sorry Marinette, I thought I'd have a few more minutes before I had to hide. I misjudged the time. _

There was silence for a moment as they both tried to figure out what to do next, but there was an interruption in the form of the still-shirtless Adrien making his reappearance, his face looking concerned. He must not have found anything and was worried, she decided. As he walked, Marinette couldn't help but stare. He was long and lean, but nicely muscled. Each muscle was well defined, too…Her eyes trailed along his torso to his stomach, which, while not a six-pack, was toned as well.

"Like what you see, purr-incess?" He purred, eyes glittering as he approached her.

Marinette mentally shook herself and poked him in the nose on impulse.

"Now is not the time for jokes, Ch—Adrien," she reminded him. _Why did I call him Chat? I must be more sleep-deprived than I thought, _she reprimanded herself, becoming all business. "Did you find anything?"

* * *

The whole exchange was all too familiar; he couldn't stop himself. Adrien's green eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "My-my Lady?"

* * *

Shock and surprise covered Marientte's face as he called her by Ladybug's nickname. But the only way that would make sense was if…

"Chaton? I-Is that you?"

* * *

Adrien's shock mirrored Marinette's. He knew her. And she knew him! And…Marinette was his Ladybug!

A rush of images swirled in his brain; Plagg saying he'd called her Bugaboo, her expression when she found out he'd lied to her, her clinging to him while she'd cried that Gamer 2.0 had disintegrated him forever and that it was her fault, her poking his nose and his shoulder when he was getting too silly, feeling safe and at home with her, drawn by invisible thread, her expression when he'd declared frosting warfare, her business-like tone when he'd gone to investigate, the raspberry macrons…it all fit now!

A huge grin spread across his face, and he was about to scoop her up in a huge hug when his phone sounded from its place on her kitchen counter, where he'd left it when he went to the shower. He turned it over, seeing his father's photo on the caller ID.

"Crap," he said. "Guess I didn't make it back in time." He picked up the phone, grimacing. "Hello Father," he greeted. His father proceeded to interrogate him as to his whereabouts, but Adrien didn't engage him. He had bigger things to worry about. "It's alright Father, I'm safe. I'm helping a friend. I'll be home in a while. Please have Nathalie make my excuses to my English tutor. Goodbye, Father."

He hung up his phone, turning back to Marinette, who was still staring at him as if he'd grown a second head.

"I can't believe it's really you," he said, a smile lighting up his whole face. "And I-I'm so, SO glad it was you."

He reached out a hand for her tentatively, as though worried she would deny him. But, miraculously, she took his hand in hers and allowed herself to be pulled into a hug, still looking dazed. He squeezed her tightly against him, until she squirmed a bit.

"Um…A-Adrien?"

"Yes, Milady?" He loved being able to say that, and know who he was saying it to…

"Y-you're not wearing any clothes," she reminded him, backing away and flushing as he released her suddenly. His face turned red, too.

"Uh…right. Right. Let's see…"

Plagg appeared suddenly. "Just transform already! She already knows, anyway. At least then you'll be wearing something," he snarked.

"Uh…right. Of course. Plagg, claws out!"

There was a flash of green light and Adrien was suddenly covered from head to toe in black leather, complete with fuzzy black cat ears and tail. Chat Noir stood in his place.

Marinette was still staring, dumbfounded. Chat was beginning to get worried.

"I think you broke her," said a squeaky voice beside him good-naturedly. Chat jumped, looking around.

"Nice to see you again, Tikki," Chat greeted.

"Likewise," the ladybug kwami answered.

"I assume it was you I saw earlier? The red blur with the cookie?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The very same," Tikki laughed. "I wasn't expecting your shower to be so quick. Sorry, Adrien. I didn't mean to startle you."

"You're forgiven," Chat said wryly, turning worried eyes on Marinette. "Mari, please say something. You're starting to scare me."

"I-I…y-you…Ch-chat Noir?" Marinette managed. She shook her head as though trying to clear it.

Chat Noir put an arm around her shoulders, leading her to the sofa in the living room, and sitting her down on his lap, wrapping his arms around her. "Mari, please tell me what's bothering you," he begged. It was a sign of how worried he was that he didn't even make a bug joke, even though the situation was wide open for one. "Please, let me help you this time, Milady. Don't shut me out again."

* * *

Adrien was Chat Noir! Marinette couldn't believe her eyes.

_Is this a dream? _She asked Tikki, trying to figure it all out.

_Nope, _the ladybug kwami answered, popping the 'p'. _Chat Noir and the love of your life are indeed one and the same. _

_But…how? _

Marinette thought back over her brief acquaintance of Adrien Agreste, trying to fit things together.

She saw Adrien bowing to her and kissing her hand, saw him making a silly cat joke and then laughing so hard he almost fell down, saw them talking about how they felt drawn together, like soulmates, saw Adrien taking a defensive stance in her kitchen, ready to protect her if necessary. She saw his playful boasting before he painted her face with frosting, saw him freaking out because she hated liars, saw him catching her as she fell, saw him beaming as she praised Chat Noir and showing off his Ladybug t-shirt.

They really WERE one and the same!

Chat was looking at her worriedly from where he'd been talking to Tikki. When had he transformed?

"Mari, please say something, you're starting to scare me," he begged.

"I-I…y-you…Ch-chat Noir?" She managed. _Smooth, _she thought, picturing a facepalm.

He led her over to the couch, pulling her down on his lap. "Mari, please tell me what's bothering you. Please, let me help you, Milady. Don't shut me out again."

He had been hurt when she'd shut him out after her maman died. It WAS him, all right. She was going to let him in this time. She wasn't going to hurt him anymore.

* * *

Marinette stared up at him, looking at last as though the puzzle fit together.

"Master Fu will probably want us to return our Miraculous, now that we know each other's identities," she said finally. "With Hawkmoth still on the loose, it's too dangerous. What if he finds out? What if he uses me to get to you? Or vise versa? What if…"

"Shh…It'll be ok, Bugaboo," Chat soothed. "We'll figure it out. Even without the powers, I will still be here for you. Ok?"

Marinette took a breath and nodded.

"A-are you disappointed?" He asked anxiously. "That Adrien is Chat Noir? I know for a long while Chat wasn't your favorite person ever…"

Marinette placed a finger to his lips, arching an eyebrow. "Chaton, you're the cat's meow. How could I be disappointed? I love you—both of you. Chat Noir AND Adrien."

His face lit up in a grin. "You…You just made a cat joke! The great and beautiful Ladybug just told a cat joke!" He laughed as he wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed her cheek. "I love you too, Bugaboo. With everything I have, everything I am," he continued softly.

She turned towards him and tentatively closed the distance. Then their lips met, slowly, cautiously, hesitantly. The kiss ended all too soon, but the effects were a like a jolt of electricity running through them. They gazed at each other, expressions turning darker, as Chat took her face gently in his clawed hands and crashed his mouth upon hers. Her hands tangled in his golden hair and he wished away his gloves and claws, now-bare hands making their way down to rest on her hips as she turned on his lap to fully face him, straddling his waist.

Just then, there was the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Sorry, you two," Tikki said wryly, "But it looks like there's a bit of a situation. Your…getting to know one another better will have to wait."


	5. Chapter 5

Chat Noir stood to peek out the window, Marinette by his side. Wandering through the streets of downtown Paris was a huge, white figure. The person- he couldn't tell if it was a male or female— had a costume that reminded him of a bird, maybe a dove or a carrier pigeon. Then it opened its mouth and its male voice sounded throughout the city.

"People of Paris, I am Messenger. I have a special message for Ladybug and Chat Noir. Come and face me!"

Marinette sighed. "Looks like we've got a job to do." She stared at Chat's hands, still bare. "You might want to get your claws back on, we may need them."

"Sure thing, Milady. Hold on," he said, concentrating for a moment as his gloves and claws reappeared.

Marinette watched him, then appeared to remember something. "Actually…" she said, trailing off for a moment as something occurred to her. "Don't move!" She said excitedly, racing up the stairs to her room.

Chat looked at Tikki, who shrugged. Marinette reappeared, holding a piece of paper in her hand, beaming in anticipation. Before Chat could ask, she cried, "Tikki, spots on!"

Chat Noir watched, spellbound, as a flash of red light transformed Marinette into his Lady. However, she didn't become the Ladybug he'd been used to seeing in all the years he'd trained and worked with her. Instead of the normal one-piece suit he was familiar with, a pair of tall black boots reached her knees, followed by form-fitting red pants. A black corset laced up her torso, decorated with tiny red polka-dots. Under her corset was a red peasant-style shirt embroidered around the neckline with tiny ladybugs. The look was completed with long black gloves and her signature red-and-black spotted mask. Her hair, which had been in two tails and streaked with frosting, was now clean and done up in a messy bun.

His jaw dropped. She was gorgeous, radiant even. She looked up at him shyly.

"Do you like it?" She asked, blushing.

Chat nodded dumbly, before shaking his head to clear it. "D-did you design that?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

She nodded. "I-I'd wanted a different look several years ago, but thought there was no way to change it…until I saw your gloves disappear the other night." Her expression turned sultry. "Good job I didn't send you on ahead while I transformed. The Messenger probably would have sent you flying across the city if I turned up wearing this the first time for a battle," she said slyly.

Chat's human ears turned red, and his stomach flipped. She was right, of course. He probably would have been so distracted that the villain probably would have sent him sprawling. Taking her in his arms, he moved in to kiss her, but Ladybug poked his nose.

"Come on, Kitty, we've got work to do."

* * *

They decided to send Chat out ahead of Ladybug by a couple of minutes, just so that it could look like they weren't just together outside the suits. By the time Ladybug arrived, Chat had tracked the akuma to the Trocadero and was facing him down.

"You know, you should have known this would never work," Chat was saying cockily. "We're going to take you downtown in chain letters, Messenger!"

Ladybug shook her head fondly as she dropped down next to him, taking a defensive stance. "That was a pretty bad one Chat, even for you," she teased.

"Ah Milady, I'm hurt," Chat Noir said, pretending to be wounded. "Nice new get-up, by the way," he said, winking.

Ladybug rolled her eyes playfully.

Messenger cut in, "Ladybug, so nice of you to join us. I have a message to you superheroes from Hawkmoth." He paused as he retrieved an official-looking paper from his giant shoulder bag as a purple butterfly mask covered his eyes. "The message is this- meet Hawkmoth at the top of the Eiffel Tower tonight at midnight. Come alone. However, he assures you that this is not a trap or a trick, that he only wants to talk, and if you wish to have ground backup to help you feel more secure, he will, of course, understand. But only the two of you at the top of the Tower." He stopped again, looking up at them through the shining purple butterfly. "He says he knows you have no reason to trust him, but he's begging you to come. It's a matter of life and death."

Ladybug exchanged a look with Chat, having a silent conversation with their eyes, and he nodded imperceptibly, looking resigned.

"We'll be there," she said clearly. "But tell Hawkmoth, if he tries anything funny, we won't hesitate to take him down. That is a promise."

Messenger nodded. "Understood, Ladybug."

With that, the transformation suddenly released, leaving behind a confused mail carrier sitting on the ground rubbing his forehead.

"Um…pound it?" Chat said uncertainly, looking confused.

Ladybug pounded it halfheartedly, looking thoughtful.

"I wonder what all that was about?" She wondered.

"Well, we'll find out tonight, I suppose," Chat said logically. "Should we get Master Fu? Or call in Carapace and Rena Rouge for ground backup?"

Ladybug thought for a moment. "Probably both," she decided. "Maybe let's go back to my place and decide what to do next. Does that sound ok?"

Chat nodded. "I'll take the long way around, so it doesn't look like we're meeting up again. See you in a few, Milady," he said with a cocky salute.

She waved at him.

"Bug out!"

* * *

Landing on her balcony, Ladybug hopped down through the trapdoor and retransformed into herself just as there was a knock at the door below. She ran down to let Chat in, transforming back into his half-naked self as he walked over the threshold. Taking a minute to put the "closed" sign on the door to the bakery (there hadn't been time before; luckily it was a slow day), she took his hand as they silently climbed the stairs to her apartment, sitting down at the breakfast bar in the kitchen. They had some business to take care of.

"Ok," said Adrien, lacing his fingers through hers on top of the counter. "What's the plan, Milady?"

Marinette looked at him, tracing the contours of his chest with her eyes, before pulling herself back to reality. "First things first," she said, standing up to grab his clothes from the laundry. "Maybe you better get dressed, Kitty. As much as I love you, it will be easier to make a plan without…all…this." she trailed off, gesturing to his bare chest.

Adrien looked confused. "You just gestured to all of me," he said, before his face split in a wicked grin. "Why, Milady, am I distracting you?"

Marinette reddened. "J-just…go get dressed, Adrien," she grumbled embarrassedly, poking his nose.

Adrien saluted. "Sure thing, Bugaboo," he teased, disappearing into the bathroom. He emerged a couple minutes later, once again in his jeans and t-shirt with the white button-up over the top. He walked around behind her, his strong arms pulling her back into his chest as he kissed her cheek. "Better?" He breathed in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

_Not even remotely_, she thought, rolling her eyes fondly.

"F-focus, Kitty," she reminded herself as much as him. "We need to decide what to do about Hawkmoth."

Adrien sighed, coming back to sit down on his vacated stool, taking her hand in both of his, looking like he was forcing himself to focus like she'd asked.

"Ok, so here's what we know. Hawkmoth wants to meet at midnight at the top of the Tower, says we have to come alone, says we're allowed ground backup, says it's a matter of life and death…" he said, ticking points off on his fingers while still keeping hold of her hand. He looked up at her. "Do we trust him? What if it IS a trap?"

Marinette gave him a sideways look. "As to trusting him, absolutely not. He said it's not a trap, but I'd feel better if we had backup of some sort, preferably Rena Rouge and Carapace, waiting in the wings in case we've walked into some sort of ambush of supervillains." She looked thoughtful. "I think we should inform Master Fu. He might have some good advice. And he should probably know that we know about each other now. He probably doesn't have time before tonight to choose new superheroes, but he might be able to give us some insight into how to stay safe in the meantime."

Adrien nodded. "Anything else?"

Marinette sat quietly for a moment. "Not relating to this, I don't think," she decided. "I still have a lot of work for the bakery I need to get done today though, or that wedding won't have their order ready for this weekend." She looked at him. "What about you? Won't your father be angry that you've been gone all day?"

Adrien's brow furrowed. "Probably. But…" he looked up at her. "I AM an adult. Legally, he can't dictate my choices. And I have to start living sometime, right?" He looked like he was asking for reassurance that he was making the right decision.

Marinette took her hand from his and put it on his shoulder in a comforting gesture. "It's alright, Chaton. You'll have me, whatever happens. You won't be alone."

Adrien leaned into her side, taking strength from the feeling of her presence. She ran her hands through his hair soothingly. Finally, he sat up straight, looking at his hands with determination.

"Right. Well, I'm not going home right now. Father will probably find a way to lock me up forever if I go back now," he added bitterly. "So…" he looked up at her, emerald eyes blazing, "What can I do? Put me to work."

Marinette gave him a weak smile as she watched him struggle, wishing she could take his pain away. She stood and pulled him into a hug. "I love you, Minou," she whispered. He hesitated for a moment, body tense, before relaxing, wrapping his arms around her.

After a moment, she pulled back to look at him. "Would you find Master Fu and tell him what's going on while I keep working here? If Hawkmoth wants to meet, there's no telling how much time I'll have to work tomorrow and I still need to do the croquembouche for each wedding; they're being picked up early on Saturday morning," she said, looking slightly panicked.

Adrien gave her a soft smile and smoothed her frosting-covered hair away from her face. "Sure, Mari, I can take care of the heroics for a while. You just focus on those pastries, and I'll be back in a flash." He kissed her cheek softly before transforming and disappearing out the window, staff in hand.

* * *

Chat Noir ran as fast as he could to Master Fu's, de-transforming in the alleyway behind the building before climbing the three flights of stairs to the door in question. He knocked hurriedly. The door opened.

"Adrien, welcome back," Master Fu said, not looking surprised in the least to see him. "What can I help you with?"

"Marinette sent me," he said without preamble.

"Ah, I see you have learned each others' identities," Master Fu said, eyes narrowing. "This will, no doubt, make things more complicated…"

"There's more," Adrien said, and explained about the meeting with Hawkmoth and Ladybug's request for backup in the form of Rena Rouge and Carapace. Master Fu's face turned concerned.

"Hawkmoth might be setting a trap to steal all the Miraculous," he said thoughtfully. "If he somehow captures all of you, there will be no stopping him. But if he's really trying to ambush you, back-up will be needed. Hmm…" He began pacing the room. Adrien stared at his hands, brows furrowed in thought.

"Master, what if we get the Miraculous to Rena Rouge and Carapace, but instruct them to wait at their homes and keep an eye on the news? If something goes down, they can likely get there quick enough to help," he suggested. "That way we'll still have back-up if there's trouble, but the Miraculous won't be within Hawkmoth's reach in case he's outmaneuvered us."

Master Fu looked at him thoughtfully. "Well done, Adrien," he said at last. He opened the Miraculous box, handing Adrien the fox miraculous and the turtle charm on his wrist. "Was there anything else you wanted to discuss?"

"I- uh, yes sir," Adrien said, rubbing the back of his neck as he carefully placed the Miraculous in his pocket. "Now that Ladybug and I know each other, will we be giving back our Miraculous?"

Master Fu turned away from him, staring out the window into the street below.

"It is very risky for you two to continue on, now that someone besides me and yourselves knows your identity. However, there isn't time to train a new Ladybug and Chat Noir before your meeting with Hawkmoth. I propose that you keep your Miraculous for the time being, and then after you find out what Hawkmoth is after, we can re-evaluate." He turned around to look Adrien straight in the eye. "You and Ladybug must be very, VERY discreet. Make sure you never call each other by your real names while in costume, aren't seen together in…compromising situations…in costume, especially if you decide to date as civilians" Adrien's face and ears burned red at the implications, "and pay attention to your interactions with one of you in costume and one in street clothes. Any of these might give you away if you are distracted. Be vigilant," he finished, looking very serious.

"Yes Master, we will be careful," Adrien assured him.

"Good. You have been a wonderful Chat Noir, Adrien. I am very proud of you. Of both you, and Ladybug," Master Fu said, extending his hand. Adrien shook it. "Now, if that is all…?"

"Yes sir, thank you," Adrien said, disappearing out the door.

* * *

True to his word, Adrien did his best to make sure Chat Noir wasn't seen heading towards the bakery. He de-transformed in the alleyway behind the bakery before walking into the store.

"Marinette?" He called.

"In here," her voice rang out from the kitchen. He made his way around the counter to where the sound had originated to find her standing on a chair piling pastries into a tall tower on an ornate platter she had set on the counter. The croquembouche was almost as tall as she was. On the counter were several kinds of edible decorations, waiting for the right moment to be added. Off to the side was another platter housing the finished cream puffs that Adrien had worked on that morning.

"Wow Mari, you've been busy," he said appreciatively. "Anything I can help with?"

She was consumed in her work for one moment more, considering the tower, then turned to look at him. "Give me just a second and then we can try those cream puffs you made. If they turned out, I might just have to hire you full-time," she said with a smile.

Adrien grinned at her. "I think I'd much rather make pastries with you for the rest of my life than run my father's company," he said. His tone was light, but the dullness in his eyes as he said it let Marinette know he wasn't joking.

"Well then, I may just have to keep this adorable stray," she said with a smile, taking off her food-handling gloves to run a hand through his golden hair. He nuzzled into her side as she squeezed him around the shoulders. Suddenly, the chair moved and toppled over, Adrien quickly scooping her into his arms bridal style before she could go down with it. Her arm was still around his neck, and he noticed at once how close he was to her. She blushed as he stared intensely at her. He was being drawn to her, electricity flowing through him…Then she seemed to remember where they were and ran a hand over his face.

"Thanks Kitty," she breathed, pushing away from him slightly. He gently, reluctantly, set her down and picked up her chair. Now was not the time. She took up her previous position, beginning to arrange decorations on the tower, and changed topic. "So…what did Master Fu say?"

Adrien stared at her dumbly for a moment before his brain re-engaged and related the plan to her, as well as Master Fu's cautionary words about their identities. She looked up at him thoughtfully as he finished speaking. "Well, that's about what I had anticipated as far as identities go," she said. "And I like your plan, well done, Kitty," she smiled at him, then turned serious, thinking. "I will need to be the one to find Rena and Carapace, since I know their identities, in and out of suits. I'll go once we close down the bakery for the day. You're welcome to tag along, or I can give you something else to bake. I'll probably be awake until we meet Hawkmoth finishing up the last things for the wedding parties," she complained. "And I should probably call our back-up employees to take care of the regular baking in the morning…If we're meeting Hawkmoth at midnight, we likely won't get to bed until late."

Adrien put an arm around her waist. "How about you give me something else to try my hand at while you finish the croquembouches, and then once we're done for the day, we can both go find Rena and Carapace together," he suggested. "But first…" He walked around her and nimbly snitched two of the cream puffs off of the platter, handing one to Marinette in a chivalrous gesture. "For you, Milady, he said with a bow.

He nervously took a bite of his own as he watched her taste his creation. _Their_ creation, he reminded himself. He had only made the outside; Marinette had done the insides and put them together.

"So…? What do you think?" He asked. She turned to him with wide eyes.

"Adrien…how much cooking experience do you have?" She asked.

"Well…I used to bake cookies with my mom quite often when I was young," he began, "But Father kept me on a pretty strict diet for modeling after Mother disappeared, and our chef cooks all the meals so…basically nothing harder than a chocolate chip cookie?" He said hesitantly, finding his fingers very interesting all of a sudden. "Why? Is it horrible?" He asked, peeking up at her through his hair.

"N-no Adrien, it's incredible!" She said happily. "Either you have some really amazing beginner's luck, or you're a natural at this."

"Really?" He beamed at her, his smile bright enough to light the whole room.

"Really," she said. "It's perfect! Light, and flaky, and…just right." She put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him into her side again, before stooping from her position atop the chair to kiss the top of his head. "Bien joue, mon petit minou," she congratulated.

Fire and pride rushed through him, but before he could scoop her up and kiss her senseless, she let go of him and hopped down from her chair, shuffling through a box of what looked like index cards before taking one out and turning back to him.

"Want to try this one, Kitty?" She asked with a knowing smile, handing him the card.

He took it from her and smiled fondly as he read the title- Raspberry Macrons.

* * *

It was nearly midnight as Marinette and Adrien stole out of her apartment towards the park to transform into Ladybug and Chat Noir. They'd finished the croquembouches, plus about 300 raspberry macrons and other assorted pastries, got the Miraculous to Rena Rouge and Carapace (Chat had been shocked to find that they were really Marinette's friends, Alya and Nino. Maybe that explained the feeling he had when he met Alya that she wasn't someone to be crossed…), and reassured Adrien's father several more times by phone that he was safe, but not coming home. The last of these phone calls ended with Adrien losing his temper and shouting that he'd decided to move out before hanging up and silencing his phone.

Marinette had watched with forced calm during his (rather loud) conversation with his father. Once he'd hung up, flopping down on his back on her couch to lay his head in her lap, he'd covered his face with his arms, tense as she began stroking his hair soothingly. They had sat like this in silence for quite a while before he was relaxed and in control enough to remove his arms from his face, his eyes looking suspiciously bloodshot.

"What are you going to do now?" She had asked calmly.

"Don't know," he'd mumbled. "Not sure how to access anything regarding my finances, Father always has Nathalie manage everything." He sighed, looking ashamed of himself. "That surely wasn't my finest hour. Sorry you had to see that."

Marinette had hummed in reply, thinking as she stared out at the room, then returned her gaze to his face. "You know, you're always welcome here. You can stay in my parents' room, have a job here at the bakery…if you want, that is."

Adrien had stared up at her, looking from one of her eyes to the other as though trying to catch one of them lying to him, eyes filling with tears again, swallowing hard as he struggled to remain in control of his emotions. "T-thank you, Mari," he had said thickly at last. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He had stared at her, then caught one of her hands and kissed her palm.

They'd sat together like that for quite a while, Adrien finally falling into a restless sleep while his Lady stroked his hair, keeping watch. Finally, at twenty minutes to midnight, Marinette had stirred as her phone alarm rang. She must have fallen asleep, too, she realized, rubbing her stiff neck. She had looked down to find Adrien still fast asleep, arms thrown around her waist, hugging her tightly.

"Come on, Minou," she'd said sleepily, ruffling his hair. "We have to get up."

"Five more minutes, Bugaboo," he had mumbled, burying his face in her stomach. Marinette had smiled, remembering the first time he'd said that to her.

"Come on, Adrien," she'd said again. "Hawkmoth is waiting for us."

At the word 'Hawkmoth', he'd jumped up so suddenly, Marinette wondered if he secretly had springs attached. He'd settled into a defensive stance, looking around in alarm, before realizing where he was.

"Sorry, Kitty," she'd said, looking sheepish, "I didn't think you'd react like that." She reached out and put a hand on his arm, and he relaxed slightly under her touch. "It's time for us to go meet Hawkmoth at the Eiffel Tower." She looked at him appraisingly. "Are you going to be ok?"

"I'll be fine, Milady," he answered straightening. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," she'd replied.

* * *

Now they were quietly creeping towards the park, on their way to meet their sworn enemy, hand in hand. Once they arrived they hid behind a couple of thick tree trunks and transformed. Moments later, Ladybug and Chat Noir could be seen bounding and swinging through the rooftops toward City Center.

They quickly scaled the Tower, landing on the top platform and glancing around warily. Hawkmoth was waiting for them, looking out at the city and pretending he hadn't noticed their presence. Ladybug and Chat held a silent conference with their eyes, then settled into defensive postures.

"Evening, Hawkmoth," Chat said cockily, pulling out his silver staff. "Fancy meeting you here."

"You won't be needing your weapons, Chat Noir," came the cold voice from the other end of the platform. "As I said, I only want to talk. But, if you feel more comfortable, by all means…"

Chat narrowed his eyes, but did not relax his grip on his staff.

"Well, we're here," Ladybug's voice rang out as she shifted impatiently. "What is it you want, Hawkmoth?"

"Your help, heroes," Hawkmoth replied, turning to face them. "In return, I will give up my Miraculous and Paris will be at peace."

Chat and Ladybug glanced at each other.

"Tell us what you want help with, and we'll decide from there whether or not we'll help you," Chat challenged.

"Very well," Hawkmoth intoned coldly. "But first, let me tell you a story. Imagine, if you will, a young, naive man on a trip with his beautiful wife in a remote area of Tibet, leaving their young son at home with their servants. They'd heard stories about fantastical jewels that could grant powers to the holder in order to change the world, and were fascinated with the idea of helping people as superheroes. On their trip, they happened to be fortunate enough to find not one, but two of these extraordinary gems, along with a very old book explaining some of the things these jewels were capable of.

"They returned home and began to wear the jewels, to use them to help people. But something went wrong. Unbeknownst to them, one of the jewels had been damaged. Every time the young man's wife used the jewel, she became more and more ill. She began to have fainting spells, developed a nasty cough no doctor could cure. But she refused to give up the Miraculous."

Chat began to go numb. These circumstances sounded very familiar. It COULDN'T be…

"Finally, one day about ten years ago, her body could take no more. She slipped into a magical coma, barely clinging to life. Her husband, fearing his life without her, purchased a stasis unit to keep her alive while he figured out what to do. In the meantime, he told everyone, including their son, that she had disappeared.

"He studied the old book he'd found with the Miraculous and discovered that combining those of the Ladybug and Black Cat could make someone Master of the Universe, and grant any one wish. But since he had no idea where those Miraculous were, he concocted a plan; to become a powerful supervillain and draw out the users of the the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous. As he did so, he distanced himself from everyone, including his only son."

Chat's heart was racing. _It's just a coincidence, right?_ He thought, subtly sliding closer to Ladybug and clutching her hand tightly. She squeezed his hand in reassurance.

"Many years went by. The man tried time after time to accomplish his goal, but without success. The Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous holders were formidable foes indeed. Finally, he began to lose hope that he would ever be able to obtain the Miraculous he sought. And then about a year ago, disaster struck." Hawkmoth's voice quivered slightly, the most real emotion they'd seen from the man so far. "The stasis unit began to fail to stabilize his wife's bodily processes. A few times, her heart and lungs stopped all together. Someone had to be with her day and night to restart her heart in case it failed. She was slipping away."

Hawkmoth stopped, standing silently for a moment, then continued. "I tried everything, but it wasn't enough. The attacks were few this last year because my heart wasn't in them. I found I had little time besides that I spent by her side. This is my very last hope. Please. Help me save her," he said softly.

Chat Noir's head was spinning, and he was squeezing Ladybug's hand so tight he was sure he was probably breaking it. It couldn't be true… He was dimly aware that Ladybug was looking at him in concern out of the corner of her eye, but there was no way he was going to explain in front of Hawkmoth…who was quite possibly his father. He gave her an imperceptible nod, still clutching her hand.

Ladybug hummed, before saying, "I am sorry about your wife, sir. This must have been very difficult for you. And for your son." She paused before continuing on. "We must consult with our mentor before we make any decisions about using the wish to heal your wife." She paused again, seeming to have an idea. "Sir, do you have the damaged miraculous with you? If we could repair it, that might be an alternative way to heal your wife."

Hawkmoth reached inside the breast pocket of his suit to produce the damaged Peacock Miraculous, handing it to Ladybug.

"Do not attempt to use it in any way. If you transform, it will damage you as well," he cautioned.

"Thank you, sir. How will we reach you with news?" Ladybug asked.

Hawkmoth was silent for a moment, before saying "Leave a Ladybug banner on the railing of the Tower if you have news. I will meet you here as soon as I can. If her condition worsens, I'll leave a black banner." He paused, give her an intense glare. "I don't think I need to reiterate, Ladybug, that time is of the essence. The faster we find a solution, the better." Another pause sounded, then he said softly, "She doesn't have long."

With that, Hawkmoth turned on his heel and disappeared into the night.

* * *

As soon as Hawkmoth was out of sight, Ladybug turned to her partner, whose legs, it seemed, had given out with the disappearance of the villainous butterfly Miraculous holder. He was sitting with arms around his legs, which were curled up to his chest, his face hidden in the tops of his knees. He was shaking violently, rocking slowly back and forth. Lady approached him cautiously, gently taking him in her arms and burying her face in the crook of his neck. He continued to shake, though, and Ladybug was sure he was going into shock. Looking around, she pulled out her yo-yo and muttered, "Lucky Charm." A large weighted blanket and a teapot appeared in her hands. She wrapped the weighted blanket tightly around Chat, then scooped him up, knowing they had to get to Master Fu's before her transformation wore off.

Minutes later, she burst through Master Fu's door. He was, thankfully, still awake, and looked up calmly as she burst in.

"Master, please! Chat…"

"Oh dear," Master Fu said softly, taking in the sight of Chat Noir, who was still quivering uncontrollably. "Put him on the rug in there please, while I make some tea. It will help calm him," he said, indicating the bamboo rug in the other room.

Ladybug did as she was told while Master Fu bustled around the kitchen fixing tea. As she put him down, she noticed that the skin of his face that she could see around his mask was rather green. She ran for a wastebasket and thrust it into his hands as he opened his mouth.

"Milady…..I- I don't feel so good," he complained, before retching into the wastebasket. When he'd finished, she handed him a glass of water. "T-thanks," he said roughly, grabbing it from her and taking a sip.

"Why don't you de-transform? You might be able to relax a little easier," Ladybug suggested. Just then, her earrings beeped a final time before she returned to her normal self, Tikki appearing behind her, looking concerned.

"C-claws in,"Chat stuttered, and suddenly Plagg and Adrien appeared in his place.

"Take it easy, kid. Everything is going to be alright," Plagg said in an uncharacteristic show of sympathy as Adrien clutched the blanket tighter to him. "Breathe and focus, remember? 5 things you can see…"

"Adrien, what happened?" Marinette asked softly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. He didn't respond to her touch, and only shook his head, not meeting her eyes.

Marinette looked up to the floating black kwami, narrowing her eyes. "Plagg, do you know what happened? Did Hawkmoth do something?"

"I'll say," Plagg grumbled. "The story Hawkmoth just told…it fits with the details of the disappearance of Adrien's mother," Plagg said quietly as Adrien choked out a sob. "He just found out his mother's been alive in a coma this whole time and didn't know, and that his father is a supervillain."

There was a flurry of movement as Adrien reached for the wastebasket again, attempting to empty the non-existent contents of his stomach into it, before dissolving into sobs and burying himself under the blanket.


	6. Chapter 6

Adrien had never before hated his life as much as he did in this moment. Everything he knew was a lie- his mother, his father, his whole life! He was distantly aware of Marinette holding him, rubbing gentle circles into his back, and Plagg trying to mentally guide him through the therapy exercises he'd learned after his mother's disappearance. He wanted to run, wanted to scream, wanted to break something…but instead just sat there in his Lady's arms, sobbing uncontrollably and shivering like a scared kitten. And perhaps that's just what he was, in that moment. He'd never been more afraid in his life than he was right then.

"H-he…he tried to k-kill me!" He burst out, his pain-filled green eyes finding Marinette's blue ones. "M-my own f-father tried to k-kill me," he moaned, reaching out and grabbing Marinette around the waist like she was a lifeline, laying his head in her lap. Marinette pulled the blanket off his head, softly stroking his golden hair.

"Shh…it's ok, minou," she whispered. "You're not alone."

Master Fu appeared and handed a mug of tea to Marinette. "Have him drink all of that when he's ready," he told her. "It will clear his mind and steady him." He sat down nearby. "Now, what did Hawkmoth want exactly?"

Marinette softly related Hawkmoth's request as she continued to stroke Adrien's hair, trying to be succinct as possible so Adrien wouldn't have to relive the whole thing a second time. She handed over the Peacock Miraculous and relayed the warning Hawkmoth had given her. Master Fu examined it, then stood to gather his tablet, trying to see if the old grimoire had information on repairing a damaged Miraculous. They sat in silence.

Adrien slowly began to become aware of the sensation of Marinette's fingers in his hair as his tears subsided. He sat quietly, wanting nothing more than to slip into sleep, desperately wishing to no longer be aware of the ache in his chest. But Marinette noticed him calming and held out his mug of lukewarm tea. Reluctantly, he slowly sat up and took it from her, sipping it slowly as he leaned into her side. His throat felt raw and he was exhausted, but he might need to be alert enough to deal with his fa- Hawkmoth.

Master Fu looked up at them. "Repairing the Peacock Miraculous is a delicate and involved process. We may not have that much time, if Madame Agreste's condition is as precarious as has been communicated to you." Adrien took a shaky breath. "There may be a way to use the combined Ladybug and Cat Miraculous. But it will come with a price, which we have to be sure will not be passed on to an innocent."

He looked at them. "Give me until noon tomorrow to attempt to repair the Miraculous. If I am unsuccessful, we will make a new plan." He paused, then said, "Marinette, I would suggest that you take Adrien home with you and both of you get some rest. You will need it for tomorrow. Take care of him," Master Fu added softly. "He needs you right now."

Marinette nodded, then turned to Adrien. "Can you stand?" She asked, voice full of concern. Adrien met her eyes doubtfully. He wanted to be self-sufficient, to not have to make Marinette carry him home, but he was afraid that as soon as he got up his legs would give out again. Marinette took the decision out of his hands, transforming and deftly scooping him up, blanket and all, adjusting it so it once again covered his golden hair.

"Don't worry minou, I've got you," she said tenderly as she whisked them away.

* * *

They finally reached Marinette's balcony, dropping down into her room. She set Adrien down gently on the chaise as she de-transformed back into herself. He was staring into space looking dazed and confused still, his green eyes dull and exhausted-looking. She pulled out her pajamas and set them on her bed before coming around and kneeling in front of him to get his attention. She worried that a touch or speaking before that would startle him.

"Where do you want to sleep tonight, minou? We have my bed, my parents' bed downstairs, the chaise here, the couch in the living room…"

He didn't answer for a moment, then looked up at her.

"Wherever you are, Mari. I-I don't want to be alone," he said in a small voice, looking vulnerable and afraid.

Marinette took a breath. "Ok. Give me a minute while I get some things ready for you," she said, making her way downstairs. She readied the bed in her parents' room, since that would be the most comfortable for both of them, then pulled out a huge pair of sweatpants that used to belong to her dad. Not sure if they'd work, she made her way back upstairs to find Adrien, intending to ask him what he thought. She found him sitting where she'd left him, tears streaming down his face again. Silently, she took his hand and led him downstairs, sitting down with him on the sofa. He immediately curled into her side as she wrapped an arm around him.

Soon after, he was asleep, completely exhausted. Carefully, Marinette slid out from under him and slipped quietly upstairs to change into her pajamas. Creeping back downstairs, she watched him sleeping for a moment. It was apparently not a restful sleep, because he began to quiver.

"Mari! Mari, where are you?" He cried suddenly, eyes open but not seeing anything. _Still sleeping, _she thought.

"Right here, Kitty." She put a hand on his arm and gently kissed his forehead. "It's ok, you're safe," she said calmly.

She was surprised when his strong arms pulled her down on top of him, holding her tightly to him. After a moment though, he relaxed, and she relaxed into him, laying her head on his chest and slipping quickly into sleep.

* * *

It was late morning when she woke up, sunlight streaming through the window. She felt warm and safe, relaxing as she registered Adrien's arms around her waist and his body underneath hers. He was still sleeping soundly. She checked the clock on the wall. They still had time before they were supposed to meet Master Fu. She snuggled further into his embrace, content to just rest there a while, soaking in the feeling of him holding her.

She moved as he stirred slightly, hoping she hadn't woken him. Instead, he turned to face her, lying on his side and pinning her against the back of the couch before relaxing again. His body and hers were pressed tightly against each other, and she could feel his body responding to her proximity. She blushed pink, untangling a hand to brush his hair back from his face, then following the lines of his cheek and jawline with a light finger. One of his hands slid down her side, coming to rest on her hipbone before pulling her tighter against him

She drew slowly closer, meeting his lips with hers gently before pulling slowly away. He quickly captured her lips again, his hand on her hip moving lightly up underneath her shirt, exposing the skin of her stomach. She gasped, electricity running through her, throwing a leg over his hip and placing her hands flat against his stomach, which quivered.

"Mari…" he groaned against her lips, eyes half-open, before crashing his mouth against hers again, pulling her closer as he moved against her.

She was on fire. All at once, he pulled back slightly, eyes completely open in shock and gasping for breath. "Mari…" he groaned, "we gotta stop. I-I'm not ready," he admitted breathlessly, his face going pink, running a nervous hand through his hair.

Marinette let him scoot back from her a little, feeling embarrassed. "S-sorry…I…"

Adrien smiled at her reassuringly, eyes dark with wanting, and said huskily, "It's ok Bugaboo. I want you, too, just…maybe…not like this?" He gestured to the small couch in the middle of her family living room. "I want it to be special. As special as you are. Ok?" He said, brushing her hair back from her face and kissing her softly, before sitting up and stretching. He looked over at her as she copied him, feeling relieved that he felt the same. "Do you want to shower first while I make some breakfast?" He asked, looking uncertain.

She stared at him. "Have you ever made breakfast before?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

He shook his head. "No, but, I mean, I'm Chat Noir. How hard could it be?" He said, puffing out his chest.

Marinette laughed, before she watched him deflate and the sparkle in his green eyes disappear, the weight of the thought that hit him settling in his tense shoulders. She thought she had a good idea what was bothering him.

"Hey," she said, putting a hand on his arm. "It will all be ok. It will be hard for a while, but…I'm right here for you. And I'm not going anywhere." She kissed his cheek. "Why don't you go on to the shower? I'll make breakfast," she suggested.

He nodded with a weak attempt at a smile, scrubbing at his eyes, before he disappeared.

* * *

Breakfast was a solemn affair; once Adrien finished in the shower, they ate their oatmeal and fruit in silence. Or, rather, Marinette ate quietly while watching Adrien push his food around and around his bowl, his eyes glued to the table in front of him. He could feel her gaze on him though, and it was making him feel anxious.

"I'm fine, Mari," he growled finally, not able to take anymore of her worried glances.

"No, you're not," she contradicted, leaning toward him and putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's ok not to be-"

"I said, I'm fine!" He snapped, shrugging her hand off him and meeting her gaze with scowl. Marinette shrunk back, eyes wide, but then took a breath and schooled her expression into one of calm. He closed his eyes, running his hands over his face. He didn't dare meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mari. I know you're trying to help. I-I just…I need a minute. Please?" He said through clenched teeth. He looked and sounded exhausted. She stared at him for a moment, then took his hand and guided him to the stairs.

"Come with me," she said softly. "Plagg, Tikki, will you come with us?" The two kwamis zoomed over to her to ride on her shoulders.

"Where are we going?" Adrien asked. She didn't answer him, but she continued to hold his hand as they made their way down the stairs, and then down a second flight to what looked like some sort of cellar. It was a small, square room made entirely out of concrete. The only light came from a solitary lightbulb in the ceiling. In the center of the room stood several sacks of flour, stacked one on top of another.

"Papa showed me this when I was little," Marinette explained, gesturing to the flour. "I had a fight with Maman, and I had said and done things that I didn't mean. I felt bad about it and I was angry with myself. Papa brought me down here, told me to let it all out, hit those flour sacks as hard as I could." She took a breath. "I probably spent an hour or two trying my hardest to destroy that sack. By the time I wore myself out, I felt a lot better." She stopped, transferring her gaze to her feet. "I used it a lot in the first little while after Maman died, after that day when you took me aside." She paused to look at him, rubbing her thumb across the hand she was holding in hers. "Kitty, I know you're hurting, and angry, and scared. If you want space, I'll give it to you. But please, try to work off some of your feelings before we have to go. If you go into this as emotional you are now, you are likely to act before you think, which could get you hurt or killed if it turns out he's playing us, or end with you doing something you'll regret. I can't stand to lose you, too." Her eyes glistened with tears as he met her eyes briefly before looking down at his feet. He nodded, but said nothing. She kissed his cheek, then held out a hand to her shoulder for the black cat kwami. "Plagg, will you stay with him?" She asked.

"As you wish, Spots," Plagg saluted her, floating over to perch on Adrien's shoulder instead. It was a mark of how serious he was that he didn't even try to get cheese out of the deal. Adrien didn't argue.

"I'll go clean up breakfast and get ready," Marinette decided. "I will stay out of your way until we have to go, if you want me to. But if you need me, I'll be upstairs."

She squeezed his hand and then turned her back to him to ascend the stairs, hearing Plagg saying, "Alright, kid, show me what you got!"

* * *

"Harder."

_THUNK!_

"Harder!"

_THUNK!_

"Right hook!"

_THUNK!_

"Double kick!"

_THUNK! THUNK!_

"Roundhouse!"

_THUNK!_

Adrien hit the flour sacks again and again, following the moves Plagg called without hesitation. He'd shed his t-shirt and overshirt, and now his lithe form glistened with sweat. He practiced punches and kicks with fluid grace befitting a feline, sometimes using the walls to ricochet back towards the pile. He swung and danced, putting as much force into his strikes as he could. With every blow, he could feel his anger and frustration ebbing away.

_Mari was right, this was a good idea,_ he thought as he landed a couple more hits.

_Glad she thought of it, _muttered Plagg. _I've lost enough kittens already._

Adrien stopped, panting, hands on his knees, to look at the cat kwami who was floating in midair next to him. Plagg was looking distant and worried. Adrien knew Plagg didn't like talking about the past much. Or maybe Plagg's worry had something to do with his father…?

_Plagg…?_

_Yeah kid? _The kwami turned his luminous green eyes on the young man, who held out his hand toward him. The worried quality in his gaze didn't disappear, however, so Adrien settled for patting him on the head.

_Thanks for being here for me. _

There was a small rumbling sound as Plagg purred. It was a pleasant, soothing sound, meant for comforting.

_You'll be ok, Adrien. You're one of the best kittens I've ever had._

Adrien gave a small smile.

_Thanks, Plagg._ He took his phone from his pocket, noting the time. _We'd better go get Mari. It's time to go to Fu's. _

He quickly dusted himself off and grabbed his shirts as he turned to the stairs. He took one look back at the now-mutilated flour sacks as he turned off the light.

* * *

He climbed the stairs, pulling on his t-shirt as he went, to find Marinette sprawled out stomach-first on the couch with her sketchbook and pencil in hand, her upper body propped up on her elbows. Tikki was lounging on the coffee table holding a cookie between her paws. Though his Lady was evidently trying to appear relaxed, he could clearly see the tension in her shoulders. She looked up at him as he entered, a small smile spreading on her face.

"What?" He asked as she tried (unsuccessfully) to hide her smile behind her hand as she sat up, then stood to approach him.

"You- you must have really done a number on that flour sack," she said, trying to contain her laughter. "You're white as a ghost!"

"What? Really?" He looked down and saw that his jeans, and orange converses were covered with a thick layer of flour, minus a couple of trails down his legs where he'd attempted earlier to dust himself down. Apparently, there had been more than he'd thought. Grumbling internally, he took a couple long strides into the bathroom to see for himself in the mirror. There was flour coating his hair and face, too. Marinette came up behind him and, standing on tiptoe to reach, ruffled his hair to try to shake the excess flour loose. Then she stepped back as he washed his face and did his best to pat down his clothing. Clouds of flour dust flew, but by the time he was done, he looked much less flour-y. He stepped back out to the main living room and noticed Marinette watching him.

"Feel better?" She asked him, studying his face intently. He stepped forward and placed his hands on her hips, drawing her to him and placing his forehead against hers.

"Much," he said softly. "Thanks, Bugaboo. I really, really needed that. And…I'm sorry I snapped at you. I-"

"It's alright, Chaton," she said, cutting him off. "You're grieving. It makes sense that you would be angry." She wrapped her arms around his waist as he shifted to bury his face in the crook of her neck. They held each other tightly for a moment, and the deep rumbling purr in his chest made a reappearance as she stroked his hair. "Is there anything you want to talk through before we get going?" She asked quietly.

Adrien pulled back from her and shook his head, his face set in a determined expression. "Let's just go. The longer we delay, the harder it will be. We can talk after our job is done." _Or, I can fall apart after our job is done, _he thought. _I can't afford anymore meltdowns now. Milady needs me. _

_You got this, kid, _Plagg's voice sounded in his head.

Adrien nodded and checked his phone again. "Well, looks like it's time to go. Plagg, claws out!"

"Tikki, spots on!"

* * *

They staggered leaving again, taking different routes to Master Fu's so as not to arouse suspicion. Ladybug arrived first, having sent Chat Noir to check for banners at the tower, and transformed back into Marinette in the dojo. She looked around, and, upon not finding the old man in the room, walked quickly to the kitchen area. She discovered him bent over what looked like a cauldron, several small vials containing different colored substances strewn around the table the cauldron perched on. He looked exhausted, and his brow was furrowed in concentration.

"Ladybug," he greeted her without looking up.

"Master," she returned. "Any news?"

Master Fu sighed. "I suggest we wait for Chat Noir to arrive," he said.

"No need," a familiar voice sounded from the dojo, and after a moment Adrien appeared in the doorway. Marinette had not heard him arrive, but then, he was a cat after all. He came up behind her, slipping a hand around her waist. She could feel his warmth at her back. "No banners on the tower, by the way. Any progress, Master?" He asked, sounding anxious.

Master Fu sighed as he removed his glasses, running his hands over his face before looking up at them. "I'm sorry, Chat Noir, but the news I have isn't good news." He reached over for his tablet, showing them the photos of the grimoire pages he'd been studying all night. "A damaged Miraculous can be fixed, but to do so, it must be dipped in this potion," he indicated what looked like a recipe on his tablet, "and, unfortunately, the potion takes 72 hours to finish. I began brewing it, but…" he looked resigned. "I don't imagine we have 72 hours to spare. Additionally, the repaired Miraculous, while it might keep Madame Agreste alive for a while longer, will not be able to undo all the damage done. She will likely still remain in a coma, even with the Miraculous."

Marinette put her hand on top of the one Adrien had placed on her waist, feeling his grip tightening. She rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb as she continued to mull the problem over.

"So, you're saying that Hawkmoth was right— that the only way to reverse this is to use the wish?" She asked, studying the guardian.

"Yes, Ladybug, that's exactly what I'm saying. However, there are a few details to discuss. First, the matter of the price. The universe demands balance; that is, if Madame Agreste is returned to her full health, someone else will be brought to the brink of death in her place. Unless specifications are made otherwise, if Hawkmoth is casting the wish, that person will likely be you, Adrien, as you would be the only equal sacrifice for your father."

Marinette went white as a ghost. "No…" she whispered, clutching at Adrien's arm tightly. She felt him swaying slightly behind her, unsteady as he increased pressure on her middle, before hearing him begin to take measured, deep breaths to compose himself, muttering to himself under his breath.

"5 things you can see….4 things you can feel…3 things you can hear…"

The guardian watched them in silence for a moment as they attempted to regain control of themselves, then cut through their thoughts. "There is, however, another option. If the wish is made very, very specifically, it could be possible to direct the wish to sacrifice someone who is willing to switch places. For instance, if Hawkmoth is willing to trade his own life for that of his wife, it might be able to be done without an innocent like Chat Noir paying the price himself." There was a pause as he sighed heavily before continuing. "Or, alternatively…I am a very old man. I have seen my children and grandchildren pass on from this existence. If I have enough time to teach you two the basics of guardianship, it might be time for me to make my exit from this life. It would be my honor to help, however, I cannot in good conscience do this if it means leaving the Miraculous vulnerable. If they got into the wrong hands, it would not matter if Madame Agreste returned to health or not, because the world as we know it could cease to exist."

As Adrien was still muttering to himself, Marinette was the first to find her voice, though it had a pleading quality to it when she spoke. "Master…there must be another way…"

Master Fu shook his head sadly. "I'm afraid not, Ladybug. For Adrien's mother to return, someone must pay the ultimate price. There is, unfortunately, a chance that it might be too late even then for it to work. She has been in a near-death state for so long that she may slip away before the wish can be cast in it's entirety. And there is also the chance that Hawkmoth is playing us and that this has all been a lie in order to gain the Miraculous for himself. With that power, he could easily wish for something far more deadly and destructive."He paused. "What say you, Ladybug?"

Marinette took a steadying breath as she attempted to think logically. "I…I don't think he's playing us," she said finally. "He seemed sincere when we talked with him last night…like the story he was telling us truly was causing him pain." She shifted her weight from one foot to another, restless. Adrien still held her tightly, using her as an anchor, otherwise she probably would have been pacing the floor. "We need to ensure that Hawkmoth is NOT the one casting the wish, if we decide to do this. We need to get the wording exactly right so that no unforeseen damage is done to innocents. We need to find out if Hawkmoth is willing to sacrifice himself. And then, if it fails, we have to be prepared for Hawkmoth to lash out at us in retaliation," she listed to herself, ticking points off on her fingers.

As she made her list, Adrien sighed heavily, finally letting her go and walking over to the window. He stood there for a moment, his face rapidly losing color, before speaking.

"Guys? We're out of time."

Marinette ran to join him and saw what he was staring at— a black banner was hanging from the top of the Eiffel Tower.


	7. Chapter 7

After some quick conversation, it was decided that Master Fu would remain behind while Ladybug and Chat Noir met with Hawkmoth at the Tower. They set off immediately, not wanting to waste any time.

When they arrived, Hawkmoth was pacing, looking less put together than they'd ever seen. It only reenforced Ladybug's theory that it was not a trick or a trap, but that this situation was truly about to break him.

Chat didn't seem able to speak, subtly pressing his shoulder into hers from behind, so Ladybug took over.

"What news?" She asked, trying to keep to a business-like tone.

"She's nearly gone. She's hooked up to a heart and lung machine, but her brain activity is nearly zero. It's now or never," the villain said, his voice quivering, all traces of the stone-cold man now gone. "Please, tell me you'll save her," he pleaded. "I will do anything!"

Ladybug studied him, then looked to Chat Noir in silent conversation, who shrugged and nodded, green eyes dull and lifeless. "We were unable to repair the Peacock Miraculous, so the wish is the only option. Are you willing to take her place? The universe demands balance- a price to be paid. Are you willing to sacrifice your own life?"

Hawkmoth bowed his head. "I am," he said. "Emilie would be ashamed of the choices I've made…of how I've treated our son… I know I don't deserve your consideration but…would you bring my son to me? Adrien Agreste? I- I want to say good-bye…make what amends that I can. I don't know where he is…" Hawkmoth trailed off.

Chat cleared his throat, his eyes bright with unshed tears. "I'll find him," he said.

Hawkmoth nodded in thanks. "Bring him to the Agreste Mansion as soon as you can. Ladybug, would you come immediately? We don't have any time to lose."

Ladybug bowed. "Of course, sir. Give me a minute to confer with my partner and I will be there right away."

Hawkmoth nodded to her and disappeared.

Ladybug turned to Chat, who was focusing again on his breathing, his knees knocking together as he shivered.

"Kitty?" She whispered, "are you going to be ok?"

Chat gave a shaky nod, then cleared his face into a determined expression. He took off his ring and handed it to her, transforming himself back into Adrien. "Take me down near the house and go in without me," he said. "I'll show up a few minutes later and claim Chat Noir gave me the message and went to round up some back-up or something. You may want to have Rena and Carapace on stand-by again, in case things go wrong, and so my identity isn't so obvious. Can you get a hold of them on the way?"

"Good idea, Kitty," Ladybug complimented him, throwing an arm around his waist, stowing the ring inside her yo-yo with her other hand. She was about the throw it so they could be on their way, when Adrien grabbed her arm suddenly, stopping her in her tracks.

"Milady, you are going to have to be the one to cast the wish, aren't you?" He asked, nervously. "Are—are you going to be ok? Could you ask Tikki?"

Ladybug nodded, realizing they'd forgotten to ask Master Fu about the implications for the caster. She cocked her head, presumably repeating the question for Tikki, before her face drained of color and she looked up at him uneasily. Adrien shifted unhappily. This wasn't going to be good, he could tell, but he let Ladybug answer.

"She- she says that casting the wish takes a lot of energy. Casters have— have died or ended up in comas using it before…" she breathed, as though trying to make it quiet enough that he couldn't hear her.

"No!" He bellowed, his hands clenching into fists. "No, Milady, I won't let you! I—"

"Adrien," she said quietly, raising her hands in a placating gesture.

"No! I can't… I can't lose you!" He cried, tears starting to spill over.

"I knew when I became Ladybug that something like this might happen," she said, taking his hand. "You know as well as I do that if I don't try to help and she dies, all of Paris will likely suffer as a result. The darkness he's been using to be a supervillain has been held at bay by his love for your mother, but once she's gone…even the Miraculous cure can't bring back the dead if he decides he doesn't care about hurting innocents," she said quietly, her voice trembling.

"Then…then let me! I should be the one to atone for the sins of my family," Adrien said desperately.

Ladybug shook her head. "We don't have any more time to argue about this," she said with finality. "We have to go; every second counts." She opened her yo-yo and handed his ring back. "You'll need to contact Rena Rouge and Carapace while I swing us down. I forgot, I can't swing and make calls at the same time."

Without giving him time to protest, she grabbed him around the waist and tossed her yo-yo before they began swinging through the rooftops. By the time they reached an alleyway a couple blocks from the mansion, Adrien had transformed into Chat Noir and quickly made his calls before they dropped to the ground. Then he grabbed Ladybug around the waist and kissed her lovingly, desperately, tearfully. "I love you, Mari. So, _so freaking much. _Please, come back to me," he whispered brokenly. Ladybug ran a gentle hand through his golden hair, tracing down the side of his face to his jaw as she cupped his cheek in her hand and wiped a stray tear away with her thumb.

"I love you too, Kitty. No matter what happens, we'll always be together," she whispered back, dropping her hand from his face and pressing it instead over his heart. "Forever." She kissed him tenderly, then turned towards the mansion. "Follow in about 3 minutes," she instructed over her shoulder before swinging away.

He watched her go. His mind was buzzing, his vision blurring, his breath coming in small gasps.

_It's ok, kid, _came Plagg's voice seemingly from far away. _Come on, 5 things you can see…_

* * *

Ladybug scaled the gate in front of the Agreste Mansion easily, dropping down in the courtyard and hurrying up to the front door. She hadn't even had a chance to knock when Gabriel Agreste opened the door.

"Ladybug," he greeted her. He looked over her shoulder and seemed to catch a glimpse of something before pushing a button on a panel to the right of the door, opening the gate. Adrien strode confidently through the courtyard and up the stairs, looking for all the world like nothing was wrong.

_He's a really good actor, _Ladybug thought to herself. If it had been her in this situation, she'd be completely curled up in a ball on the floor right now, never mind striding confidently towards her enemy who was also her father, making determined eye contact as she did so. But Adrien was able to pull it off. You'd never know that 2 minutes ago, he was having a full-scale melt-down.

"Father," he said calmly, with only a trace of a quiver in his voice. "Chat Noir said you wanted to meet with me. Said it was urgent?" Then he pretended to catch sight of Ladybug. "L-ladybug! What are you doing here?"

Gabriel's face contorted, and he interjected, saving Ladybug from having to make up an excuse. "Isn't…isn't Chat Noir with you?" He asked, looking panic-stricken.

"He'll be along in a moment," Adrien lied easily, though looking concerned. "He said something about back-up…I didn't really understand what he was talking about. What is this all about, Father?"

Gabriel's face cleared minutely. "Come inside, Adrien," he said in a commanding tone. "Ladybug, please wait here for Chat Noir. I'd like to speak to Adrien privately for a moment."

"Yes, sir," Ladybug answered, nodding as Adrien walked past her following Gabriel to his office, squeezing her hand subtly on his way past her. She watched him go, then sighed, hoping this would all be over soon.

* * *

Adrien sat down nervously in his father's office, staring at his father behind the desk who was looking at him intently.

"First, Adrien, I'd like you to know that I am very, very sorry for my behavior towards you. You wanted to be free and make your own choices, but I was too controlling to see that you were growing up, old enough and responsible enough to live your own life," he said slowly. Though the words he was saying were what Adrien had wanted to hear from his father for years, they were still cold and hard.

"Thank you, Father. That means a lot to me," Adrien said truthfully, though still looking wary.

"Secondly," Gabriel paused before seeming to decide something. "Adrien I…I have a terminal illness," he lied. "I don't have long, which is why…" Gabriel reached up and unhooked a purple brooch pin from his collar, "I wanted to give you this," he finished, handing over the purple gem. "This jewel is very valuable. It has great sentimental value as well- your mother gave it to me. Please keep it safe."

Adrien's eyes widened as he studied the gem, and he swallowed a lump in his throat. He had thought his father would tell him the truth and that his mother was alive, not pretend to have some imaginary fatal illness. He also wasn't sure if he should be elated that he had been handed the Butterfly Miraculous without a fight, or if he should be angry that Gabriel had tried to keep it from being handed over to Ladybug and Chat Noir. He remembered his father was watching him, and let tears come to his eyes.

"T-thank you, Father," he said softly, tucking the brooch into the pocket of his jeans. He decided not to react overly much at this time. His father rarely tolerated displays of emotion.

"Thirdly, my company and the house will be left to you," he said matter-of-factly. "It will be yours to do with as you wish. My lawyers will be in touch with you after my passing."

Adrien wondered how any of this would make sense without the fact that he was Chat Noir and knew his father's secret identity as Hawkmoth.

"Yes, Father. May I be excused?"

Gabriel nodded and Adrien fled the room.

* * *

Ladybug was still standing in the foyer, looking around at the architecture and decor when she caught sight of Adrien running, presumably towards his room. Her heart ached for him, but publicly, Ladybug and Adrien didn't know each other well.

_He's mostly ok, _Tikki reassured her. _Just running away for his father's benefit. Mostly._

_How do you know? _Ladybug asked curiously.

Tikki's aura turned sheepish. _I…might be able to sense and communicate wordlessly with Plagg…_she said.

Ladybug turned red with anger. _You couldn't have mentioned that before?! That could have been helpful in finding Chat in emergencies! _

_What's done is done,_ Tikki said, disgruntled. _We're not supposed to say before you know each other's civilian identities anyway, it could be misused. _

_Whatever, _Ladybug grumbled mentally.

Gabriel chose that moment to appear. "Chat Noir is still missing?" He asked, concerned.

Just then a knock sounded at the door before it burst open to reveal a grinning Chat Noir, though only Ladybug could tell the grin didn't reach his eyes.

"Sorry I'm late Milady, traffic was _cat_-astrophic," he said casually. Ladybug rolled her eyes, determined to keep things as close to normal as possible.

"We don't have time for this," Gabriel cut in. "Follow me, please, quickly," he said, turning to lead them to the hidden platform that would take them down to his secret lair.

The two superheroes walked behind him silently. Chat had grabbed hold of Ladybug's hand tightly once Gabriel was turned away, but otherwise looked relaxed. Only Ladybug could see how nervous he was. The platform took them down past metal-plated room full of butterflies, but continued to descend into a room that looked more like a gothic garden than anything, with many plants and flowers growing everywhere. At the far end of the room in a patch of light was a woman with long blond hair inside a glass case. A faint, sluggish beeping noise could be heard from what Ladybug assumed was a heart monitor machine. The woman was beautiful, though obviously emaciated and worse for the wear, and had an oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose. She was being watched over by a severe-looking woman with dark hair and glasses, who left abruptly upon their entry. That would be Gabriel's assistant Nathalie, if Ladybug remembered correctly. Ladybug heard a sharp intake of breath from her partner as he fought to control himself. She herself said nothing, but squeezed his hand, trusting that Plagg would help him through his exercises.

They followed Gabriel to the other end of the room near to the woman - Emilie, she reminded herself- before stopping and turning to face their would-be enemy.

"We had a deal, Monsieur Hawkmoth," she reminded him. "We will cast the wish for you, but you promised you would hand over your Miraculous," she said with authority. Unluckily for her, Gabriel was used to being the one who wielded the authority.

"You may take the Miraculous once the wish has been cast and I am dead," he said with finality.

Ladybug opened her mouth to argue when she felt Chat Noir squeeze her hand and saw him barely shake his head.

_Plagg says that Gabriel gave the Butterfly to Adrien, _Tikki interjected. _Don't worry about it._

Ladybug slowly closed her mouth again. "Deal," she said, nodding her head, before turning to Chat Noir. "Chat, keep an eye on him while I cast the wish. Not sure how much we can trust him.."

"Milady, I can't let you do this," Chat protested fiercely in an undertone, turning her away from Hawkmoth. "I already lost my mother, and now my father, and I can't lose you too! You can't…"

Their conversation was cut short by a flatlining sound from the heart monitor.

"No!" Gabriel yelled out, grabbing a set of paddles for a defibrillator and charging to his wife's side. "Ladybug, now!"

"Give me your ring, Chat!" Ladybug demanded, holding out a hand to him. Chat shook his head, holding it away from her. "Now, Chat, or she'll die!" Ladybug reiterated.

Chat turned back toward her suddenly, taking both her hands in his. "Together," he said determinedly. Ladybug stared at him fearfully.

_Do it, Marinette! Plagg and I will help you! Put your foreheads together, and say the words together! _Tikki shouted in her mind.

There was no more time to think, Ladybug just did as she was told.

"_Miraculous Wish!"_

Pink and green light swirled around them, twisting and curling together before coming together in a yin-yang symbol above their heads.

_Now, together- _Tikki instructed.

"_I wish for Emilie Agreste to be restored to full health and for her husband, Gabriel Agreste, to take her place as payment,"_ they intoned in unison, Tikki and Plagg joining their voices to the incantation.

The pink and green light swirled around and around, growing brighter and brighter as it did so, until there was a brilliant flash of white light and everything went black.


	8. Chapter 8

Adrien was in the dark. He'd never felt darkness like this, thick and heavy. He was slowly becoming aware of buzzing voices around him, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. They sounded…worried, distraught even. A woman's voice. Finally, the fog cleared a bit, but he couldn't bring himself to open his eyes yet.

"Gabriel…Gabe, wake up," a melodic voice said, sounding choked with emotion. He knew that voice…one he hadn't heard in over ten years. He could hear a rustling, stirring sound closer to him, a groan, then his name being called, small hands on his chest. "Adrien! Kitty, are you ok?"

_Marinette,_ he thought. He opened his eyes slowly.

"Mari," he said slowly, taking in her worried blue eyes. His head was pounding, but he noticed she was no longer transformed into Ladybug. "What happened?"

"You did it, kid," Plagg said softly in his ear. Apparently he was not transformed anymore, either. "The wish was cast. Neither of you two died. Tikki and I survived. Your mother lived. And your father…Hawkmoth…well, you saved the world."

Adrien gingerly sat up and looked to where Plagg indicated. His father's crumpled form was lying on the floor several feet away, and a woman with long blond hair was bent over him, attempting to find a pulse.

"Maman," he breathed, staring awestruck at her, his eyes filling with tears.

The blond woman looked up at his hushed exclamation. "A-Adrien? Cheri, is that you?" His mother rose unsteadily to her feet and rushed over to him, brushing his hair from his face and cupping his cheeks in her hands. "What happened? Oh, you've grown so much! Look at you!"

Adrien stared for a moment, then swept his mother up in a huge hug. "Maman," he cried softly. "I thought I'd never see you again!"

"Adrien," his mother whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks as she crumpled in grief. "Your father, he— he's…"

"I know, Maman," Adrien whispered, scrubbing at his face to rid it of tear traces. "It's going to be alright." He looked around for Marinette. "Mari, would you help Maman?" She nodded, reaching out a hand for the blond woman. "I will take my father…"

Slowly and carefully, the three of them stood and made their way back to the platform, rising into the main house and making their way to the sitting room. When they had all arranged themselves and Gabriel on the sofas, Adrien caught Marinette's eye for a silent conversation before he squared his shoulders and called for Nathalie. She appeared a moment later.

"Yes, Adrien, what is it?"

"Nathalie, would you please contact the proper authorities? Father— Father is dead," he said, softly, voice quivering. "Please site that he was killed by Hawkmoth." Nathlie looked skeptical, though he thought he could see pain in her expression as well. "Ladybug and Chat Noir would probably rather we keep the truth from the authorities," he continued, pretending to send a text. "I assume you know that Father was Hawkmoth, since you were in his hidden rooms?"

Nathalie nodded, impassive, waiting for him to finish.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Emilie interjected, sounding startled. "As in, the Miraculous? Someone has the Ladybug and Chat Noir gems?"

Adrien jumped and whirled around, as though he'd forgotten she was there, but she continued on.

"Wait. Hawkmoth? Like…the Butterfly Miraculous?! But then Gabriel, he…"

"Maman," Adrien cut her off by kneeling in front of her, taking her hands in his as he saw her working herself into a frenzy, "Breathe, Maman. Now, name 5 things you can see…"

* * *

Marinette watched as Adrien tenderly talked his mother down from a nervous breakdown. She loved watching him care for her so calmly, so gently. In that moment, she knew she would never ever be able to find another man like him. She was completely, unequivocally, in love with him. As they waited, she noticed Nathalie take a seat, looking shaky as she did so. She must still be waiting for an answer.

Once Emilie was calm again, Adrien moved to where Marinette was sitting, wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his side. He laid his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes, relishing in a quiet moment before they had to recount their story for Emilie and Nathalie. And they told it from the very beginning, starting with Ladybug and Chat Noir appearing to fight Hawkmoth's akumas ten years ago, being careful not to let on about their secret identities. They told about Adrien coming home that afternoon to meet urgently with his father, deciding to say that the meeting had been difficult and he'd called Marinette for moral support when they noticed his father leading Ladybug and Chat Noir into a secret passageway and followed after Nathalie reappeared. They then described hearing Ladybug call Gabriel 'Hawkmoth', watching Emilie's heart rate flatline, and Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous Wish before the sheer power knocked them out. They assumed Ladybug and Chat Noir had fled while they were unconscious, probably to preserve their secret identities.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir saved you, Madame Agreste," Marinette repeated again. "But…it sounded like Monsieur Agreste had to sacrifice his own life in return."

Emilie nodded tearfully, taking a shaky breath. "The grimoire said as much. If the wish is used, there must be a price paid," she said without thinking.

Her knowing this wasn't news to them, but Adrien had to put on a look of surprise. "You were a Miraculous holder too?"

Emilie looked embarrassed as she realized what she had said, but didn't attempt to cover it up. "I had the Peacock Miraculous. I wonder if I still have it somewhere…?" She trailed off, thinking.

While she was lost in thought, Adrien turned back to Nathalie, checking his phone as cover. "Ladybug and Chat Noir have given permission for us to tell everyone that Father was killed by Hawkmoth, and that they, in turn, defeated Hawkmoth. They don't want Father's business to go down because of bad publicity. So if you would please inform the authorities…"

Nathalie gave a stiff nod and left the room.

Adrien settled back into the couch, his head in the crook of Marinette's neck as he attempted to relax his tense muscles. He was so, _so_ tired, and his head was still pounding. He was about to close his eyes when he noticed his mother watching them. He sighed quietly and attempted to sit up so he could make a proper introduction, but his mother gave him a slight smile and waved him off.

"You can introduce Marinette properly tomorrow, Cheri," she said quietly. "You both look dead on your feet. Marinette is welcome to stay the night if you want," she offered. "I won't ask any questions…"

"Maman," Adrien whined. His mother just came back and she was already trying to embarrass him, but Marinette seemed to miss the implications as she answered.

"Thank you, Madame Agreste, but-"

"Oh, Emilie, please."

"Emilie, then. I have to be up early for work tomorrow morning, so I'd better go home. Thanks for the offer though." She looked at Adrien, having another silent conversation during which Adrien raised his eyebrows in question and Marinette gave an imperceptible nod.

"I'm going to go with her for tonight, Maman," Adrien said, "If that's ok with you. Nathalie will be here if you need anything, and I'd like to help Marinette with her work…"

"That's fine, Cheri. I will be ok. You go on ahead and gather what you need."

Adrien rose slowly and and stiffly from the couch before helping Marinette up and stepping over to give his mother a kiss on the cheek. "I missed you so much, Maman. I'm glad you're back," he said softly, enveloping her in a hug. Being a grown man now, he was taller than she, but he clung to her like a small child. "We can wait with you…until the authorities arrive," he said finally, pulling back to look at her, then gesturing to his father's body. She waved him off again.

"No, Adrien, it's…it's fine. I have Nathalie to help me…and we'll be alright."

Adrien eyed her skeptically. "If you're sure…"

She gave a small smile. "I'm sure. Go get some rest."

He released his mother to slip a hand around Marinette's waist. "If you need us, we'll be at Tom and Sabine's Patisserie. And if the authorities need statements from us, just give them my cell number. Nathalie will have it," he said, before turning to his father's body. Emilie turned away to give him some privacy, and Marinette moved to let him go to do the same, but he only held on all the tighter.

"Good-bye, Father," he said quietly, laying a hand on his father's still shoulder, his eyes bright. "I-I forgive you," he added in a whisper so that only Marinette could hear, before they turned and headed up the stairs to Adrien's room to pack.

* * *

Upon returning to Marinette's apartment, the both of them flopped onto the couch after throwing some cookies and cheese on a plate and carefully placing their exhausted kwamis on a small pillow on the coffee table next to it. Marinette was half sitting up still, leaning her head back against the arm of the couch with several pillows beneath her shoulders, while Adrien laid out flat on his back with his head in her lap and his legs hanging off the the end of the too-short couch. Marinette closed her eyes tiredly, beginning to run her fingers slowly through his sunshine hair. After a moment, his eyes fluttered shut, too, as he consciously relaxed each of his muscles.

"It's over," Marinette finally whispered, not opening her eyes. "It's finally over."

Adrien stayed silent, focused on the comforting feeling of her hands in his hair.

"Does this mean we'll have to give up our Miraculous now?" She mumbled, slurring her words in her fatigue. "I mean, since we know each other's identity and Hawkmoth-"

"Shh…" Adrien said, opening one eye a crack and putting a finger to her lips. "We'll think about it in the morning, Bugaboo. Right now…sleeping."

* * *

Marinette's alarm sounded. It was still dark outside. She quickly silenced it and took stock of her surroundings. She was in her parents' old room, still in her clothes from the day before, and there was a warm body curled around hers, strong arms tight around her waist. She wasn't entirely sure how they'd made it to bed, since the last thing she remembered clearly was flopping on the couch in the living room, but she wasn't going to complain- this was much more comfortable than sleeping on the sofa. Actually, now that she thought about it, Adrien had probably carried her. The idea warmed her.

She began trying to extricate herself from Adrien's grip, but he doubled his hold on her and snuggled into her side, purring softly. A strong wave of contentment washed over her.

"Kitty, I have to get ready for work," she whispered with a grin. He was just so cute when his Chat was showing.

"Five more minutes, Bugaboo," he mumbled, "then we can get up."

She leaned over to kiss his temple. "Silly kitty. Alright, Chaton, you earned it yesterday. Five more minutes."

Thirty minutes later, the both of them were up and dressed, had sleepily eaten breakfast (or, Marinette had eaten. Adrien maintained he was never able to eat this early, so he'd just dozed on the couch for a few minutes while she ate), and stumbled down to the bakery to light the ovens and double-check the wedding orders for the day.

They worked quietly for a while, just happy to have something to do that didn't involve thinking about everything that had happened. Adrien was packaging up pastries and Marinette was kneading the bread dough. They worked in contented silence. Occasionally, they would share a small smile or a silent conversation, but mostly they just enjoyed working together, continuing their partnership in a different setting. They moved around each other with a poise learned from years of work in tandem with one another, able to sense the other's presence, goals, and plans almost instantaneously.

Just as the shop was opening, the customers with the wedding orders showed up to pick up their pastries and the giant croquembouches. Adrien deftly helped them load their purchases while Marinette ran the register so as to lessen the risk of having there be an accident with the finished pastries. Once the wedding customers had gone, the normal morning rush began. Adrien was beginning to feel dizzy and tired now, probably due to not having eaten breakfast, but he did his best to not show it.

Just then, there was a short lull in the action. Marinette took the opportunity to slip upstairs, returning moments later with a mug of hot chocolate and a croissant that she shoved into Adrien's mouth when he tried to thank her.

"Eat, Kitty, before you fall over," she commanded in a very no-nonsense, Ladybug-like tone before kissing his cheek and sauntering off to take care of the next customer, leaving him standing there gaping dumbly after her. He really loved that girl. She just seemed to…read his mind.

It was mid-morning by the time things slowed down. They were just contemplating taking a short break when the bell on the door signaled an arrival in the front of the store.

"I'll get it," Marinette told Adrien. "You can grab some more food and take a break." She didn't wait for his reply before heading out, but he quickly stood to follow when her heard her startled exclamation. "Master Fu! What are you doing here?"

Adrien rose and came to Marientte's side as Fu answered, "I just came to hear the news. How did it go yesterday? I take it Nooroo has been freed?"

Marinette ran over to put the 'closed' sign on the window before gesturing to the stairs. "Why don't we continue this discussion upstairs? I'll get my back-up employees in here to finish the day, this might be a long conversation."

She quickly sent off a message, then led her guests back up to the living room. Adrien took a detour to grab another croissant and then to get the Butterfly Miraculous which he'd tucked safely into his bag. He rejoined the others, presenting the purple gem to Master Fu before sitting down next to Marinette and taking her hand. He noticed that Tikki and Plagg were still lounging on their pillow on the coffee table, quite content to do nothing for a day. He wondered if they would be saying good-bye to the kwamis today. He quickly shoved it from his mind; he didn't want to think about that, it was too depressing.

It took him a minute to register that Marinette was already retelling the story of their last "battle" with Hawkmoth, the wish, Madame Agreste's miraculous recovery, their cover story so as not to give up their identities, and the other cover story that they'd asked Nathalie to relay to the authorities. Adrien sat in silence while leaning his head on her shoulder, happy to let Marinette do the talking. He really didn't think he could tell it one more time. He subtly checked his phone, seeing a message from his mother for him and Marinette to contact the local authorities about Monsieur Agreste's passing. He supposed Ladybug and Chat Noir would probably be required to give a statement as well. He sighed. There was still so much to do…so much to put right. But all he really wanted to do was forget, to just stay here and run the bakery with Marinette.

"Adrien?" Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Are you alright?" She asked softly. He looked around and noticed that Master Fu was also studying him intently.

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," he said sheepishly. "I'm alright Mari, just tired," he reassured her. "Maman asked us to meet with the authorities today," he added, holding up his phone. "I assume Ladybug and Chat Noir will have to do the same."

Master Fu nodded. "Ladybug and Chat Noir must also retrieve the Miraculous' from their friends, and soon," he added, stroking his goatee. "Finally, after so many years, all the gems will be accounted for. We will need Trixx and Wayzz to assist in Nooroo and Duusu's healing."

Adrien suddenly felt a twisting in his gut. That was odd, he thought. Why would kwami healing make him anxious?

There was silence for a moment, before Marinette voiced a question. "Master? Will- will Tikki and Plagg be returning to you as well? Hawkmoth is gone now…are we still needed?"

Adrien held his breath as he watched the Master seem to deliberate for a moment, then decide.

"I will let Tikki and Plagg remain with you, at least for now. Sometimes in the absence of a threat, another rises to take it's place. You may yet be needed to protect Paris from evil. However, I also feel that there is much better healing that could occur with Tikki and Plagg involved then without. You in particular, Chat Noir, have had a lot of upheaval in your life in a short stretch of time. Best let you keep whatever stability we can manage to," he said giving the young adults a small smile.

Happiness radiated through him. Plagg was staying! Tikki was staying! They wouldn't have to lose them, too! Another wave of happiness radiated, stronger than the first. He squeezed Marinette's hand and grinned, though wanting to jump and dance instead.

"Thank you, Master," he said in Chinese.

"Yes, thank you," Marinette repeated in French.

"You are welcome, young ones," Master Fu replied, standing to take his leave. "Bring the fox and turtle Miraculous' by once you recover them. I will be home all day." He shook their hands. "Good day Ladybug, Chat Noir," he said as he turned to go, before turning back once more. "Be on the lookout for…interesting side effects of your wish. It may have had…unintended consequences," he said. His words were serious, but his tone and expression were mischievous. Before they could ask what he meant, he disappeared.


	9. Chapter 9

Ladybug and Chat Noir were standing in their usual spot, half-way up the Eiffel Tower watching the unfolding festivities. They had already been to visit with the authorities regarding Monsieur Agreste's untimely death and the defeat of Hawkmoth. They had explained as best they could before giving a brief statement for the press. People everywhere in the city were celebrating, but the whole thing had just left the heroes feeling utterly drained and exhausted. Chat Noir, in particular, looked like he was barely standing.

"Kitty, you look dead on your feet," Ladybug said, laying a hand on his arm and looking up at him with concern. "I can pick up the Miraculous' and take them back to Fu's. Why don't you go home and take a cat nap? Maybe you'll feel better."

Chat looked at her hopefully. Sleep sounded amazing. "Is that really ok? I mean, I don't want to be slacking off…"

Ladybug shook her head. "It's fine, Chat. You probably don't normally wake up at four every morning, or spend half the day explaining difficult things to the police department. Go on. I've got this."

Chat looked relieved. "Thank you, Milady. Come back soon, I'm a master at giving cuddles," he said, his tired eyes sparkling briefly.

"Flirt," she teased. "Go on, scat!"

Chat took off, bounding toward the apartment, while Ladybug set off in the opposite direction to retrieve two missing gems from her best friends.

* * *

A short while later, Ladybug swung in through the window of Master Fu's dojo. Fu was settled crosslegged on the bamboo mat, eyes closed in meditation. He looked up when Ladybug entered.

"Here are the Miraculous', master," she said, taking out her yo-yo and pulling from it the orange fox tail necklace and the jade turtle shell bracelet, handing them back to the old man. "Thank you for allowing for back up, even though it wasn't necessary. It made us feel lots better to know…"

Ladybug stopped as an intense feeling of desire swept over her. She blushed, then frowned, attempting to shove it away. But the feeling came back, stronger this time, and with an unmistakable feeling of Adrien. She blushed deeper, and then finally succeeded in shoving the feeling away, trying to recover her train of thought. She noticed Master Fu watching her and shook herself slightly.

"Um…to know…that, um…that there were others…you know, to help us…in case Hawkmoth was trying to trick us," she finished finally. Master Fu was still studying her intently.

"Are you alright, Ladybug?" He asked finally.

"Yes!" She squeaked. "Yes, fine, why wouldn't I be?"

Master Fu looked at her skeptically, but said nothing, before changing the subject.

"Actually, Ladybug, there's something I need to talk to you about." He said, looking at her seriously.

"Oh?" She asked, starting to feel concerned. Something wasn't right.

Fu nodded. "Something that is quite important. The thing is…"

Marinette stopped listening as another incongruent emotion hit her, this one overwhelming fear and rage.

"Adrien!" She gasped, whirling towards the window and disappearing without another word.

Master Fu stared at the spot she had just vacated, then turned back to his tea with a resigned and knowing look.

* * *

Ladybug was running. She was running as she'd never run before in her life. She was running so fast, so intent on reaching Adrien, that she nearly threw herself headlong off a rooftop. Luckily, she was able to catch herself just in time. The fear and rage were still radiating. She wasn't sure what was happening, or how it was happening, but right now, that didn't matter.

When she reached her apartment, she looked around, yo-yo at the ready. Adrien was not in the living room, nor was he in her parents' old room. She charged up the stairs into her room, where she finally found him. He was not in real danger, like she'd previously thought, but asleep in her bed, in the throes of a nightmare. He was turning and thrashing, the blankets and sheets tangling him up as he moved. Plagg was hovering off to the side, looking helpless.

"Tikki, spots off," she said quickly, striding towards the bed where the blond was still thrashing about. The feelings were still washing over her, stronger now, but she roughly shoved them away, instinctively closing off her mind to them. She walked to him, trying to decide how to handle this. If she startled him, he might react on reflex, accidentally hurting her. Then he would feel terribly guilty, and it wasn't as if he needed that right now. If she continued to let him thrash around, however, he could injure himself.

Looking around for something she could use, she finally lit upon an idea. Racing downstairs, she grabbed the heavy winter quilt from the linen closet, charging up the stairs once more. She slowed as she neared him, tenderly putting a small hand on his forehead and stroking his hair back from his face as she hummed a peaceful tune. He flinched at her touch, as though expecting someone to inflict pain upon him. She inched closer, calmly placing the blanket over him, wrapping him as tightly as she dared, and stroking his hair again.

"It's ok, Chaton. You're safe. You're safe, my love," she whispered soothingly.

He flinched again, then his eyes snapped open and he sat upright, looking wildly around for the source of his perceived danger. His gaze finally rested on her in recognition, before he slumped, burying his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Marinette pulled him into her lap, covering him again with the heavy quilt. She continued to stroke his hair and hold him, and whisper reassurances in his ear. It took him some time, but finally he was able to relax into her hold, his breath coming in short gasps. She noticed his face was tinged with green and wondered if she should have grabbed a wastebasket. Slowly, as he got his breathing under control, his face became a normal color again. She did not speak, attempting to radiate peace and calm and love towards that part of her mind where the foreign emotions had come from. The one green eye that was visible to her filled again with tears, which spilled quietly down his nose into her lap. He swallowed thickly, then began to speak.

"We'd been- out on patrol when- when Hawkmoth caught up with us. H-he told us that he kn-knew who I was and th-that meant h-he owned me. I leaped at him, but he th-threw me into a chimney, and it c-crumbled on top of me. H-he threw his sword at me, and I-I knew I was dead, except…except the hit never came." Tears were streaming freely down his face again as he buried his face in Marinette's lap. His voice was muffled now as she strove to hear the rest of what he was saying. "M-Mari, y-you had thrown yourself… in front of me…and I-I looked up t-to see you f-falling. DEAD!" He bellowed suddenly, hands clenched into fists. "I-I leapt at him a-and before I knew what I'd done, I- I Cataclysm-ed him. S-straight in the heart. H-his mask fell, and…I'd killed him. M-my own father," he finished in a whisper.

He fell silent as Marientte processed this, still stroking his hair comfortingly.

"It's alright, minou, it was only a dream," she whispered, planting a kiss in his hair. "Hawkmoth is gone. You don't have to fear him anymore. And you didn't kill him. You're safe. You're safe…"

Adrien was still having a hard time calming himself, his breath still coming in gasps. Marinette tried to think of something else that might help, finally remembering the exercise he'd done with his mother.

"Sweetheart," she said soothingly, "I want you to name 5 things you can see."

He swallowed and then obeyed. "B-blue eyes. Gray and green quilt. Black Plagg," there was a snicker from the aforementioned Plagg at the pun, but Adrien didn't react. You knew it was bad if Adrien didn't even register that he'd made a pun. "Blue shirt. Pink wall," he finished, taking a breath.

"Bien joue," she said calmly, tracing the back of a finger down his cheek. "Now, how about 4 things you can touch?"

* * *

Adrien felt calmer once Marinette had walked him through the exercise, but he refused to move once they'd finished it. He still felt horrible. He still felt afraid. He didn't dare go back to sleep in case he'd have to see Marinette falling, sword embedded in her gut… his heart rate started to pick up again.

_No, kid, don't go there,_ Plagg warned. _You just got calmed down. Breathe._

Adrien obeyed and cast his mind around for an anchor. He focused in on the girl holding him, picturing her heart shaped face, her black hair pulled back in Ladybug-esque pigtails, her bright blue eyes, the smattering of freckles across her nose…

_She's amazing, _he thought. _I've gone completely useless here, and she's…she's so strong. How is she doing this? How can she put up with me like this?_

He thought back to when they'd talked in the restaurant. Was that really only a few days ago? It felt like a lifetime.

_I wanted to be strong for her, with all she's been through in the recent past…and now I'm sitting here crying in her lap like a scared kitten, _he berated himself, feeling depressed, even as an incongruent feeling of love and safety washed over him. What…?

Plagg cut through his mental diatribe. _Kid, your entire life has been upended in just a couple of days. I think she'd be more worried if you WEREN'T a wreck right now._ There was silence for a moment as Plagg let Adrien process this, before he added, _I know Tikki is worried about her, though. She's…she's not processing. She's keeping things locked in so that she can focus on taking care of you. It's not your fault, _he said quickly, as Adrien mentally shifted uneasily. _This is just how she deals. She shoves her feelings away until they explode. She picked it up dealing with her mother's illness and death, and her father…at least, that's what Tikki said. But, once you have a hold of yourself, maybe see if you can help her let her feelings out. _

Adrien nodded internally. He would find a way to help her…

"Adrien?" Marinette's voice sounded above him, pulling him back to reality. He wiped at his face with his hands and sat up to look at her. She looked…uneasy? Embarrassed? "Can I ask you something?"

Adrien nodded, taking her hand in both of his and looking at her expectantly. She didn't speak right away, but then she took a breath and plunged on.

"Have you noticed anything…strange? About your feelings, since the wish?"

Adrien gave a wry smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Mari, my feelings are such a train wreck right now, I wouldn't even know. Can you be more specific?"

"Like…feeling things that don't match with your thoughts or the situation?" He was silent for a moment, trying to remember. Marinette continued. "This afternoon, when I was at Master Fu's, we were just discussing the "battle" and…" her face went bright red and she stopped.

"What?" He asked curiously, studying her. She played with his fingers nervously, but looked him in the eye.

"I..I felt…desire." Her face flushed even more red, and she cut him off as he opened his mouth to answer. "And it had nothing to do with the current situation I was in, it didn't make sense with what was happening, or what I was thinking…and then I felt it again. It felt like…well…you. Almost like…a scent…or an essence…something that clearly screamed that it belonged to you."

Adrien said nothing for a moment. He remembered coming back to the apartment and had collapsing into Marinette's bed without much thought, except that it smelled like her, comforting. He had only released his transformation once his head hit the pillow. The next thing he really remembered was the horrible dream about Ladybug and Hawkmoth, not anything that might have been a turn on…maybe it was a dream before that? One he didn't remember? Marinette was speaking again.

"Then all of a sudden, the foreign feeling changed. Fear. And rage. It was breathtakingly strong. I came back as fast as I could, and you were having that nightmare…"

His mind was working in overdrive. "Does that mean…?"

She nodded, looking embarrassed. "I think…I'm feeling your feelings. I don't know how, or why, but…"

Tikki materialized from somewhere nearby. "It may be a byproduct of the wish," she squeaked. Marinette and Adrien turned to look at her. "In the past, when the wish was made, one person wielded both the Miraculous. Having the two of you together try and cast the wish is unprecidented. It may have forged a bond between you two. It may even grow stronger the more you share with each other." Plagg looked unconcerned, though Adrien knew he wouldn't pass up a chance to tease them about it in the future.

Adrien's brow furrowed. Now that they were talking about it, there were times when it seemed that his emotions were amplified. Like maybe their emotions compounded on each other. Or…

"You felt it this morning, didn't you? When I was weak from not eating and you…I thought you'd read my mind, or it was showing on my face or something," he said, looking at her tenderly. "And you just…acted. Like you do as Ladybug. I hadn't really thought much of it, because you always have my back as Ladybug."

He stared into her eyes, love and safety and care radiating through him. His emotions were definitely heightened this time. Likely when they were feeling the same, their emotions added to one another. Still, it was a nice feeling to get lost in for a while. He leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

Tikki's voice brought them back. "You will need to work on consciously blocking out each other's emotions. I'm not saying this is a bad thing," she said quickly as they turned to her in unison, looks of outrage on their faces. "I'm saying that…for superheroes, it can be dangerous to be distracted in the wrong moment. Or, as you've seen that when you share the same emotions simultaneously, they feel stronger. It maybe be more difficult to control certain… actions… when your feelings are heightened."

Marinette turned red. Adrien felt her embarrassment. That wasn't an implication he'd caught, but then, she knew Tikki better than he did. It was interesting…now that he was aware of it, he could sense her feelings more easily. It was just like she said, too; they had a distinct sense of her about them, like a scent of warm bread and flowers.

He shook himself. While this was nice to know, they still had things to take care of today, and it was getting late. They still had to visit the police as themselves, and he wanted to check in on his mother.

"Milady, we should get going. Will you come with me to visit Maman after we give our civilian statements?"

"Sure, kitty, just let me…" she trailed off as a thought hit her. "Actually…" She reached for her phone and typed in a quick message. "Sorry, it's just…Master Fu was trying to speak to me about something when I left so suddenly." A DING! From her phone alerted them to an incoming text. Marinette opened it, then her brow furrowed. "He says for just me to come this time." She stared at her phone screen in confusion for a moment. Adrien could feel the curiosity radiating from her, and he was sure that his bewilderment mixed with a bit of irritation was also reaching her. Not this again…he'd had enough of secrets to last a lifetime. He tried to shove it away, not sure he was succeeding, as Marinette looked up at him. "I'll go find out what he wants. It might be good for you to spend time alone with your mother anyway. You haven't seen her in so long, and I don't want to intrude." Adrien opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off, laying a hand on his arm. "No, Adrien, your mother doesn't know me, and she's likely really confused and overwhelmed right now with your father and everything…she needs you. _Just_ you."

Adrien was upset. He really, _really_ didn't want to separate from Marinette for any length of time. Especially now, after that awful dream. He didn't think he could stand it if anything happened to her. She seemed to be holding firm though, since she had turned her gaze away from him. He sighed.

"Ok. You're probably right, Mari. We can go give our statements, and then I'll…meet you back here later?"

She turned back to him and nodded, getting to her feet before helping him up. Apparently his fear for her safety, irrational though he knew it was, had shown through their connection however, because she said, "If it helps, I can text you every couple hours after we separate. Will that be good enough?"

Adrien swallowed and nodded. It would have to be. He wasn't probably going to be able to talk her into anything else anyway.

* * *

By the time they had given their civilian statements and parted ways, it was late afternoon. Marinette walked quickly to Master Fu's dojo. She could feel Adrien's swirling emotions faintly, but her curiosity began to drown them out. She finally arrived, knocking twice before he opened the door.

"Marinette. Thank you for coming," he greeted her as she followed him into the room, closing the door behind her. Tikki floated out of her bag and greeted Wayzz happily. Fu then handed Marinette a cup of tea. It was quite warm still, leaving her to wonder if he had already known when she would arrive. She sat down with it on the rug. "Drink that before we begin. It will dampen your connection to Chat Noir for a time." Marinette looked up at him, brow furrowed. That seemed an odd thing to do. Wait…

"How do you know about that?" She asked suddenly.

"I had my suspicions that a connection of some kind might be a side effect of the wish," he said. "Your reaction to seemingly nothing when you were here earlier was quite strong. There was little else it could be. Out of curiosity, what kind of connection is it?"

"Emotional," she said automatically. "We can sense each others feelings, even from quite a distance, though they seem to get stronger with proximity and reciprocity," she rattled off, as though she were in a battle, informing Chat of what she'd observed.

Fu nodded. "As I predicted. Drink your tea before we begin." He said nothing more as he turned his back on her.

Realizing he wasn't about to budge on this, she quickly drank her tea. A moment later, the space where she realized she'd felt Adrien's emotions from was…empty. Like a cold, dark hole. It felt…pretty awful, if she was being honest. Lonely and dark. She shuddered. She wondered if Adrien was feeling the same as she was.

Master Fu returned only after the initial shock of the connection disappearing, which suited Marinette just fine. He had retrieved the miracle box and the grimoire from their hiding places before he seated himself across from her on the bamboo rug. He gazed calmly at her a moment before speaking.

"I am a very old man, Marinette. Hawkmoth is gone. The world is at peace. Therefore, I believe it is time for guardianship of the Miraculous to pass to someone else. I would like to train you as my successor."

Marinette's eyes widened, and she remained speechless for a moment. "M-me? You want M-ME to be the Guardian?" She stuttered finally, not sure she heard correctly. "B-but…really?"

Fu nodded. "I can't think of anyone better for the job. You have shown yourself to have real strength of character and you essentially led the team for years. You have done an admirable job choosing the rest of your team. You know more than anyone else about the different Miraculous'. It's a logical choice."

Marinette sat there, stunned, eyes wide and hands over her mouth. Her mind was racing as she tried to take it all in. Then…

"You knew I wouldn't be able to keep this from Chat, didn't you? That the emotions would spill over unintentionally?" He nodded calmly. "But…why don't you want Chat to know?"

Master Fu studied her for a moment. "Several reasons," he said finally. "First and foremost, since you know each others' identities already, you two are already in danger. If another villain were to strike and he gave up your identity by accident, it wouldn't just be your life or your loved ones, but the whole world in danger if the villains were able to obtain all the Miraculous'." He gave her a minute to process this. "Secondly- and I think you'll agree with me on this- Chat Noir's emotional state recently has been…volatile, to say the least. He's been through a lot recently, so it's understandable. However, if something happens and he finally snaps, he can already unleash hell upon the world with the Black Cat Miraculous. There will be no stopping him if he gains more power-"

"You don't _actually_ think Chat Noir would do something like that?" Marinette looked angry now. " He's been by my side through everything! He's the only reason I'm standing here having this conversation right now! Without him, I'd have given my Miraculous to Alya that first day ten years ago! Without him, I'd probably be dead right now!" She ranted. "How can you possibly-"

"I'm not saying I believe that he wants to destroy the world, Marinette," Master Fu said placatingly. "I'm saying I don't believe it wise for us to take the risk. There have been times where his anger has almost gotten the better of him, haven't there?"

Marinette hesitated. She could think of a couple times where she remembered Chat losing his temper. He'd been…pretty scary in those moments, if she was being completely honest with herself. And it had been when…

"Can you tell me honestly, that, if something happened to you, he absolutely would not wreak havoc upon mankind?" Master Fu asked quietly.

Marinette slumped, looking up at him with tears in her eyes. She couldn't say it. She knew that. And she knew Adrien himself feared it, too. Feared becoming a murderer, all because something happened to her. It was in his dream earlier that afternoon, for goodness sake! They both knew what the consequences could be.

Master Fu sighed, gaze firmly on the floor in front of him. "This is one of the most difficult and dangerous things about finally finding each other. Even non-Miraculous holders sometimes do horrible things when something happens to the one they love, but Miraculous holders must be doubly vigilant. The kind of horrors they can unleash are unparalleled." Master Fu shook himself out of his thoughts, turning back to Marinette. "So…what say you, Marinette? Will you accept?"

Marinette looked at him thoughtfully. "I- I don't know that I have what it takes, Master. And how do I keep it from Chat? I can't see this ending well. I can't NOT tell him. He'll know something is wrong after the tea wears off. And what about-"

"Marinette," Fu's voice cut through her tirade. "You are perfectly capable. Besides, there really _isn't_ anyone else, you know that. Just as there was no one to save your friend after you tried to get rid of the Miraculous, you are the only hope now. Please," he said, holding out the Miraculous box. "We have to train you, before it's too late."

Marinette bowed her head, obviously exhausted by the thought. "Ok, Master. I'll do it."

Fu's face broke into a relieved smile. "Thank you, Marinette. Now, the first thing we'll need to do is to help you practice keeping your emotions contained…."

* * *

Adrien made his way slowly to the Agreste Mansion. It wasn't that he didn't want to see his mother, because he absolutely did. He was nervous, though. What if his mother was disappointed in him? They hadn't had any sort of relationship for ten years! She didn't know anything about his lessons, his hobbies…was she different, or the same as she'd been? Plagg let him continue through his thoughts, surprisingly quiet.

He pushed in his gate code, relieved that it hadn't been changed, and continued toward the front door. Once he'd reached it, he rang the bell, nervously examining his fingers trying to calm his racing heart. Why was he so anxious? It was only his mother…right? Nothing to be worried about… But there was just some foreboding feeling that he just couldn't seem to shake.

Nathalie opened the door for him, not looking surprised to see him. Apparently his mother had told her he was coming. "This way, Adrien," she said, leading him into a different sitting room than where they'd sat the previous evening. Was that really just yesterday? It felt to Adrien like it had to have been a week, at least. Emilie was sitting on the couch, looking over some paperwork, a pair of rectangular reading glasses perched on her nose. Adrien had never seen her wear glasses before. But then, he reasoned, she was a full ten years older now, just as he was.

"Maman," he said softly, walking to her and kissing her cheek as she looked up at him.

"Adrien, ma cheri," she said, face lighting up slightly in a tired smile. "Have a seat," she said, indicating the sofa beside her as she took off her spectacles before rubbing her eyes. Adrien could see she was exhausted.

"Maman, did you sleep at all last night?" Adrien said worriedly.

"I might be asking you the same thing," his mother retorted, looking at him appraisingly for a moment before her eyes filled with tears. "I can't believe how much you've grown, my dear. You were just coming into your own last I remember, and then…next thing I know…" she stopped talking as tears overcame her. Adrien watched her for a moment feeling awkward, before she took a deep breath to steady herself.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Adrien," she said quietly, looking at him ruefully.

"No…Maman…no, it wasn't your fault," he said earnestly. Emilie was shaking her head.

"But it was, ma cheri," she said, looking distraught. "I shouldn't have kept using the Miraculous…"

"But Maman…" Adrien trailed off as a cold, dark feeling radiated through his mind. That couldn't be good. It took him a moment to realize that it was the same space that Marinette's feelings usually emanated from.

_Plagg! _ He bellowed mentally, before realizing his mother was still watching him.

"E-excuse me, Maman, I'll just be a minute," he said, bolting for his room.

"You're not sick, cheri?" His mother asked worriedly.

"N-no— y-yes? Yes," he said more firmly. "I'm not feeling well. I'll be back in just a minute." He closed the door behind him before continuing to the bathroom and locking the door.

_Plagg! _ He yelled out again as the kwami zoomed out of his pocket to face him. He noticed vaguely that his own face looked quite pale in the mirror; no wonder his mother had believed him that he was ill. _Plagg, I can't sense Marinette! Did something happen to her? Ask Tikki, NOW!_

Plagg watched him in concern. _Don't yell, kid, I can hear you just fine! But…_He paused, watching Adrien. _I can't get through to Tikki either. _

Adrien looked at him in panic, his breathing becoming erratic. _Why…?_

_She might be Ladybug right now, we don't how being in suits changes your bond. I would have thought it would make it stronger, though…_ Plagg said off-handedly._ Or maybe…she was going to Fu's…maybe he has something to do with it? Maybe Tikki is inside the kwami dimension. Or maybe Tikki is purposely blocking me out…I don't know kid. It may not be that something's happened to them…_Plagg didn't look entirely convinced though, which didn't do anything to help Adrien's mental state.

He was panicking. He knew he was. He had to make sure she was ok, she just _had_ to be! His vision swam.

_Kid! Breathe! _Plagg barked. _You won't do your Lady any good by passing out! Five things you can see! Snappy!_

Adrien took a breath and obeyed. He followed Plagg's directions until he could think semi-clearly. Marinette was probably ok, right? She was Ladybug. She could handle anything! His Lady was a strong, independent woman. And Hawkmoth was gone now, so it couldn't be that she got caught in an akuma battle and was injured or dead…Maybe she was sleeping? He needed to find out.

_Kid! _Plagg called out. _Call her! Your communication devices are available! I'll help you call her as Chat if you want, too. _His voice held a certain sarcasm, though Adrien thought he sounded worried, too.

_Right! Right, _Adrien said, latching on to that thought with relief. He yanked his phone out of his pocket, calling Marinette's cell. There was no answer. Maybe it was on silent? He sent a text.

Adrien: Mari, please let me know you're alright. I can't sense you anymore. Please call me.

He waited a moment before saying his transformation phrase, pulling out his baton. She didn't pick up there, either. Too impatient to leave a message, he shut off his communicator and began pacing the floor.

_We HAVE to find them, Plagg! _He said wildly. The dark, empty feeling was invading the rest of his psyche like a black hole, swallowing all other rational thought. He went for the door, not realizing he was still dressed like Chat Noir.

_What are you going to tell your mother? _Plagg asked, just as a knock came at the door. Chat pulled his clawed hand back, startled.

"Adrien, cheri, are you alright? Can I get you anything?"

Chat stopped dead. He'd forgotten about his mother. He sighed. Things were so much easier with his father who wasn't paying any attention to him at all, he thought, hating himself for it as he did so. He'd wished and wished for his mother back precisely because his father never acknowledged him, and now…it was pretty ironic, to say the least.

"F-fine, Maman, I'll be fine," he said, his voice coming out shaky. He was fortunate that his mother had knocked, now that he thought about it. Otherwise he'd have just given himself away without a second thought.

"If you're sure…" she said, not sounding convinced.

* * *

Just as Marinette was restarting her meditation for a fourth time (Master Fu's starting spot for blocking the emotional connection), Tikki cut in.

"Marinette!" The girl looked up, startled, as Tikki zoomed toward her. "You need to call Adrien!" The red kwami was wringing her hands, looking extremely worried.

"What's happened, Tikki?" Marinette said, jumping to her feet.

"Plagg's been talking to me for a while, ever since you blocked the connection. Adrien's going spare! He thinks something's happened to you! I told Plagg to tell him that our connection's not working either so he won't suspect, but it's not working! Plagg's been trying to talk him down, but he's really close to doing something stupid. He almost gave away his identity a minute ago! Please, you have to call him!"

"Suit or no suit?" She asked, not willing to waste time. Fu looked on, appearing concerned.

"Suit," Tikki answered, still wringing her hands.

Marinette nodded. "Tikki, spots on!" She called, pulling her yo-yo out quickly and starting a video call.

"Mari! Thank God," he choked out as he answered the call on the first ring. He looked disheveled, as though he'd been pulling at his hair, and she thought she could see tears in his eyes, though with the mask, it was harder to tell. Her heart ached for him. "A-are you alright? Are you hurt?" He demanded, scanning her face frantically. "I can't…I can't feel you, Mari! What happened?"

_Crap, _she thought. _What do I tell him, Tikki? Fu said I couldn't tell him the truth…_

_Maybe just a portion of the truth? _Tikki said hesitantly. _Tell him Fu's teaching you meditation and that he blocked your connection so you could focus._

Ladybug repeated Tikki's half-truth to Chat, who was beginning to look upset and angry now, though he was taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself.

"I'm sorry, Kitty, we should have let you know before it happened. I didn't know what the effects would be for you though, but I guess I should have known-"

"No, look, it's fine Mari," he said, stopping her rambling. "We can talk about it more later…" he trailed off, his body sagging against what looked like a door frame. He looked exhausted. "Can we talk about it at home? I'm…" he sighed. "I should probably have dinner with Maman, but I don't think I can bring myself to face her. Not now."

"Do you want me to come? I could come to dinner with you… Wait, what _did_ you tell your mother?"

He looked like he wanted to make a joke, but didn't have it in him. "I told her I was feeling ill, I locked myself in the bathroom," he said.

"Ok. Ok, we can work with that. If I show up, I can just say I brought you your medication or something and then we can stay…if you feel up to it, that is, or I can take you home if you want," Ladybug offered, dimly aware of Fu listening.

Chat just gave her a tired look that clearly said, _you decide, I don't care._

Ladybug nodded in reply. "I'll be there in just a minute. You can decide if we stay or not once I get there. Bug out!"

She ended the call, turning back to Fu. "I have to get going, Master. After what just happened, I see your point about Chat's volatile feelings, but…" she paused, unsure if she should continue, before finishing, "I think you're making a mistake. Chat is loyal and dependable. And I think things will get worse if we don't trust him. You remember several years ago, right? He tried to give up his Miraculous because he felt he wasn't valued, that he was being left behind. I could really use him at my back, like he always is, and if we don't…well, I think it's likely to blow up in our faces." Ladybug readied her yo-yo, while Master Fu said nothing. "How long until the tea wears off, Master?"

He sighed. "Within the hour. Ladybug…" she paused, waiting for him to finish. "…I will take your suggestion under advisement. For now, please do your best keep your guardianship to yourself."

Her eyes narrowed. "I hope you know what you're doing, Master," she said, before swinging off into the evening sun.

* * *

Several minutes later, Marinette was ringing the bell at the Agreste's gate. She'd swung by her house to pick up a partly full prescription bottle (one of her mother's old ones) so her story would seem to check out. Carefully arranging her fingers so that the name on the bottle was not visible, she jumped when the camera focused on her.

"Yes, may I help you?" Said a woman's voice. Nathalie, probably, she decided.

"Um…yeah…Adrien called me?" She managed to say, holding up the bottle. "I brought his medication, he said he wasn't feeling well…"

"Yes, yes, come in," Nathalie said, before the gate swung open to admit her. She raced up the steps two at a time before coming to a stop as the front door opened and Nathalie's face peered out.

"Thank you," Marinette said. "C-can you show me…"

"Of course, this way please," Nathalie said, turning on her heel and going upstairs into Adrien's room. Marinette marveled inwardly at the size and luxuriousness of his living space as Nathalie pointed her to a door at the far end of the room. "I'll be downstairs if you need anything," Nathalie added before heading back the way she came, closing the door behind her.

_Tikki, will you lock the door? The last thing we need is someone to burst in unannounced. _Marinette asked. Tikki hurried to do as she'd bidden as Marinette neared the bathroom door and knocked softly.

"Adrien? Kitten, can you hear me?" She called, trying to keep her voice down. She'd barely finished speaking when the door clicked open and Adrien crashed into her, burying his face in her neck. She couldn't see his face, but his entire body was trembling as he held her, his breathing ragged.

"It's ok, Chaton. It's ok, I'm right here," she soothed. They sat there for a few minutes until Adrien had stopped shaking and pulled back to look at her.

"I-I couldn't sense you," he said finally, putting his head back on her shoulder. "Mari, one minute I could feel everything and then…nothing! It was awful; dark and cold a-and empty! I thought something had happened to you…but… I still can't sense you," he said, looking at her in confusion.

"I'm sorry, mon chaton. The effects of the tea will wear off soon." She said, feeling uncomfortable. "If we have to shut off the connection again, I will let you know beforehand. I'm so sorry I put you through that. I didn't know that would happen…."

She buried her face in his chest as she stopped talking, knowing that nothing she said would make it right. Then she sighed, looking up at him.

"Do you want to try to spend some time with your Maman still? Or would you rather just go home?" She asked.

Adrien turned his head and stared at the floor. All at once, the emotions were back, filling that dark, empty space in her soul where Adrien's feelings lived. And they weren't pretty at the moment. She could feel his relief, but also his fear, his hurt, his anger. She recoiled slightly when he turned back to her, probably feeling her anxiety. She suddenly realized what she'd said. She'd forgotten, that, technically, she was standing in _his_ home. Even though he'd only stayed with her for a couple days, it had been easy to forget they normally didn't spend every moment of the day together. He probably wanted space if he was angry with her, she decided.

"I'm so, _so_ sorry," she whispered. "I-I'll go, if you-"

"NO!" He shouted, grabbing her upper arms tightly, green eyes blazing. After a moment, he relaxed his grip, looking exhausted again, and Marinette felt his emotions recede slightly. He looked at her desperately. "Mari, please. P-please don't leave me," he said, his tone almost a whimper.

"Never," she whispered fiercely as she gathered him into her arms, holding him tight. He was swaying, and Marinette was getting worried. She made an executive decision. "I'm taking you home, kitten," she said firmly. "We can visit your mother tomorrow when you're feeling better. Together. Ok?"

Adrien nodded against her neck, and together they turned towards the door, his arm around her shoulders and her arms around his waist. Marinette made their excuses to Emilie and Nathalie, who nodded in understanding and, thankfully, didn't ask too many questions. Once they were outside the gates and hidden in an alleyway, she transformed and scooped him up before swinging away into the now darkening sky.


	10. Chapter 10

They dropped in through the hatch on the balcony onto Marinette's bed as Marinette turned back into herself. Adrien immediately curled up around her, pulling the covers over both of them and closing his eyes. He still felt very conflicted. He was angry and hurt that they hadn't thought to warn him about the connection's disappearance and scared him within an inch of his life; he was still afraid he was going to lose the one person who had been his constant over the past ten years; he was relieved that she was alright; but mostly, he was just…done. Exhausted by everything. He just wanted to sleep, make it all go away. But he was afraid to sleep. What if his horrible dreams came back?

Dimly, he was aware that Mari was watching him. He focused in on the connection; her aura was emanating anxiety- for what, he wasn't sure-, concern, and…fear? Was she afraid of him?

_Just talk to her, _Plagg interjected. _She's worried about you. But she doesn't want to push you._

Adrien said nothing, trying to relax his tense muscles. He was starting to get a headache. He knew they needed to talk but…he was just so tired. One green eye cracked open momentarily as he felt a soft hand on his cheek, closing again to relish in the touch.

"I'm going to get something to eat," he heard her say. "Do you want anything?"

"Cheese!" Plagg said from inside his pocket.

She giggled softly. "Of course, Plagg. Adrien?" She asked again. He shook his head. He wasn't hungry. Contrarily, his stomach felt like it was in knots. He heard her sigh. "Kitty, you have to eat something," she said, sounding exasperated. When he didn't acknowledge her, she sighed again. "Plagg, will you come down with me while I prepare it?" She asked finally.

He felt Plagg shift from his pocket and her weight disappear from the bed, leaving him alone in the silence. He wasn't sure if this was good or bad. He was used to being alone, so it was familiar at least. But he'd hated it. And even then, it had been forever since he hadn't had Plagg in his solitude. Now he was truly, completely alone, assuming Tikki went with Mari downstairs as well. From there, his mental state deteriorated quickly, his thoughts spinning to every possible, horrible outcome to Mari, Tikki and Plagg leaving him to "prepare dinner". What if that was cover for stealing his kwami, to hand him back to Fu? What if she thought he was too weak and helpless to be a good partner? What if she left him, just like his mother? Images of Ladybug, covered in blood, a sword… Any logic was completely overridden as his heart rate and breathing began to speed up.

"Adrien, it's ok," Tikki said softly from beside him. Apparently, she hadn't gone down with the others. "Marinette will be back in just a moment. Just breathe. Focus. She won't leave you," she promised.

Slowly, Adrien allowed Tikki to begin to talk him down from the brink of panicking again, doing his best to take in deliberate, measured breaths. Marinette reappeared suddenly a moment later, wrapping a huge blanket and herself around him, holding him tightly and pressing a soft kiss to his temple. He slowly relaxed his tense muscles and evened out his breathing as she whispered to him. He was so, _so_ tired. He had begun to doze off when Marinette shifted. He sat up, startled, looking around at her to find Tikki and Plagg floating over to them holding a good-sized bowl with two sets of chopsticks poking out of it.

"Mari…" he groaned, "I don't-"

"I know you said you didn't want any," she said quickly, "But you need to eat." Her eyes were pleading with him, and he could feel her concern. "It's just light, see? Stir fried vegetables and rice. Please, Chaton."

He looked at her, looking sheepish now. "Mari…It-it's not that. I-it's just— I don't know how to use chopsticks," he said, studying his fingers in that familiar way, his ears turning red. "Father never allowed take-out, so I never had an opportunity to practice." He met her gaze before flicking it back to his hands. "You'd think that with all the Chinese lessons, that would have come up at some point," he muttered, mostly to himself.

"Oh." He felt her relief, mixed with some embarrassment, shifting again as she prepared to get up. "Sorry, I should have… well, let me just-"

"I'll get a fork," Tikki cut in as Adrien grabbed for Mari's wrist in panic before relaxing again, but still keeping gentle hold on her. Tikki zoomed from the room, reappearing a second later with the missing utensil, handing it to Adrien.

"Thanks," he mumbled, half-heartedly filling his fork with food while Marinette took up the chopsticks. Plagg and Tikki settled nearby, nibbling their favorite snacks. Well, Tikki nibbled while Plagg swallowed his cheese whole, as usual. After the first mouthful, Adrien realized how hungry he really was. It took all his self-control to leave enough for Marinette, but all too quickly the bowl was empty and Adrien was…

"Still hungry?" Marinette's voice cut through his thoughts. He nodded, looking at her quizzically before remembering the connection. His dissatisfaction must have bled through. She shifted her gaze to her wrist, which he was still holding. "There's more downstairs. Either you can stay here with Tikki and Plagg while I go get it, or you can-"

"I'm coming with you," he said firmly, making to get up.

A minute later, the two kwamis and two young adults were sat around Marinette's breakfast bar with another bowl of stir fry, more cheese, and a plate of cookies. Adrien dug in, while Marinette, who had apparently had enough, snagged a cookie from the plate. She kept a hand on his arm to emotionally steady him. When he'd finished his food, he looked up to see her nibbling on her cookie (reminding him of her kwami), staring at him thoughtfully.

"Adrien," she asked finally, "where did you learn that technique? The one you used the other day with your mother? You know, to help her calm down?"

Adrien looked away from her. He was sure she could feel his agitation. "Um…" he shifted uncomfortably, "I don't really want to talk about it."

Marinette said nothing for a moment. He could feel her determination building like maybe she was about to argue, but Plagg interjected.

"Kid, you need to tell her. Let her in. She can help you," he said. "If she's going to help, she needs to know where you've been."

Adrien stared at him doubtfully, glanced at Marinette who was giving him an encouraging look, then sighed heavily. Once he started, the words burst from his mouth in a torrent; he was unable to hold them back. "When Maman disappeared, I- I had a really rough time. Father retreated into his work, and Nathalie was just the assistant- she helped with my schedule and kept track of me, but… well…she's not really the emotional type. I didn't really have any friends to talk to, and for the first little while afterwards, I didn't feel like doing anything. But that didn't really go well, because my mind got the better of me." He was shaking a little now, and Marinette quietly got up to stand behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and holding him tight to her chest, burying her face in his neck. Her warm breath on his skin soothed him. "The first time I had a panic attack was just a couple weeks after Maman…well, you know." He half-turned his head toward her, though kept himself securely inside her grasp. Then he lifted his hands to massage his temples, his head aching again. Marinette responded instantly. She moved her hands to his shoulders and neck, beginning to work out the painful knots. He closed his eyes, basking in her care and leaning into her touch for a moment before continuing.

"Father had only told me she'd disappeared, but otherwise refused to talk about it. So at the time, my mind made up all sorts of scenarios. Including ones where she'd l-left because of me, because I wasn't a good enough son, or b-because she didn't love me. I told myself that there could be truth to that, because Father had all but abandoned me, too on top of being so strict. Nothing I did was ever good enough for him. I started having nightmares. One night I had one so bad that I was screaming and calling out in my sleep. When Father and Nathalie finally heard me, I- I was gasping and shaking, starting to turn blue. I'd gotten sick everywhere, too. I don't remember it well, but I was informed later." He grimaced at the memory. "Father booked a therapist to come visit the very next day, which was fortunate because I would panic when left alone. The man visited me two or three times a week for several months. He was the one who taught me that technique to calm myself down. It was hard to remember to use it, though, when my mind was so turbulent and I was so isolated. So Father hired more tutors so that I'd stay busy, not have downtime to panic about things. He also assigned one of the servants to stay with me during the night, so I wouldn't be alone when I woke up." Adrien sighed again as Marinette's hands worked up into his hair.

"Things didn't really improve much until one day when I tried to run away to school. I could feel the panic coming on and decided to do something about it. I tried to go join a public college without my father's permission, but Nathalie caught up with me just outside the front doors. She persuaded me to come back home with her. My father lectured me and sent me back to my room, where I found my ring and Plagg, who was trying to eat my TV remote." Adrien gave a small smile. "While Father never let me go to school, having Plagg with me helped my state immensely. He could talk me down and remind me of the techniques to focus on, and I always had the option to suit up and go for a rooftop run. And after that, I also had you, Milady." Adrien turned around on the stool to face her, looking up into her bluebell eyes which were glistening as she continued running her fingers through his hair. The messiness probably made him look more like Chat Noir than ever, he thought off-handedly. She softly kissed his forehead as he continued.

"After Plagg and you- Ladybug-you, that is- walked into my life, things got much better. The nightmares eventually went away, and I was able to be on my own without panicking. Father never really eased up on my schedule, though, but it was still better than it had been. I had a couple of real friends, things to do, and people to help, and the panicking dialed way back. In fact, that other day with Hawkmoth was the first time I've panicked like that in about seven years." He frowned, looking thoughtful. "I hadn't needed that exercise in so long that if Plagg hadn't remembered it, I certainly wouldn't have." He lapsed into silence, moving forward in his chair to lean his head on Mari's shoulder.

He felt her shift under his weight. All at once, a huge wave of guilt came crashing down on him, almost as if it had suddenly exploded from her. He looked up to see his partner in tears.

"I'm so, _so_ sorry! How could I have missed this?" He heard her berating herself under her breath. "I've known you- Chat-you— for ten years. Ten. Years. I should have been able to see-"

Adrien's eyes narrowed at her. "Hey, no, none of that. Bugaboo, listen; I took care that you _wouldn't_ see. This isn't your fault!" He pulled her into him and ran his hand up and down her back in an attempt to calm her. "There were so many times when you almost stumbled upon me in the midst of a panic attack. So many times that I was sure you'd seen me losing it. So many times when I almost broke down in your arms. You'd ask me what was up, but I'd never say anything. I thought… I thought that if you knew, you'd be disgusted. That you'd leave, too," he finished in a whisper. She threw her arms around his neck.

"But I could have been there for you! I _should_ have-"

"You were," Adrien interrupted. "You might not remember…"

* * *

_It was raining. Hard. Sixteen-year-old Adrien was sitting a park under a tree far from his home. He had his hood and a black cap over his golden hair, a black umbrella in hand. He wasn't sure if it was the dampness or his panic that was making him shiver uncontrollably, but he found he didn't much care as tears began to make their way down his cheeks. _

_His father had been disappointed in him. After months with no panic attacks, a particularly bad one had surfaced the night before in connection with horrible nightmares. The normal servants who kept watch during the night had all been sent back to their old routines, so this one had gone on longer than it should have, resulting in him throwing up everywhere. He hadn't tried to explain his father; what was the point? He never listened anyway… Father had just told him to 'suck it up like a man' and dismissed him._

_Angry and upset, he'd gone out to clear his head. He'd made the mistake of leaving Plagg at home. Now he was lost, with nobody around (only an idiot would be out here in this weather, he thought angrily), no way to become Chat Noir, and only his swirling thoughts for company. He couldn't control his mind as his thoughts pulled him down, down…_

_Until a familiar ZING! sound startled him. _

_Oh no, please, let her not see me, Adrien begged with every particle of his existence. His breathing, already ragged, was now coming in gasps. Not now! Please, let her not see…_

_He was startled out of his pleadings with the universe by a small hand on his shoulder._

"_Are you alright?" Ladybug asked quietly. "Nobody should be out here in this weather."_

_Adrien looked up into her bright blue eyes, which were studying him with concern. He took some shallow breaths, trying to compose himself. He tried to get his tongue to cooperate, but it would not obey him. He grabbed onto her free hand tightly._

"_Hey," Ladybug said calmly, "It's ok. I'm here to help. Breathe. Just breathe." She began rubbing calming circles into his hand, continuing to talk him down. Finally, he relaxed, his breathing normal again._

"_T-thank y-you, Ladybug," he said tiredly, leaning back against the tree trunk. She studied his face for a moment, a note of concern still visible in her expression._

"_You're welcome…uh…What can I call you?" She asked, realizing she'd never asked his name._

"_Uh…Jean Luc," he answered, not meeting her eyes. He didn't want her to remember him this way, even if she didn't know he was Chat Noir. _

"_Well, Jean Luc, we better get you home," she said in a manner that brokered no arguments. Chat was used to this, though, and had no problem arguing back._

"_Oh, no thanks, Ladybug, I'll be alright," he mumbled. Come on Agreste, he thought, who's going to believe that?! Ladybug was staring at him with narrowed eyes._

"_And I'm Chat Noir," she quipped, taking his hand and helping him to his feet. "Come on, I'm taking you home."_

_And before he could protest, she'd scooped him up in her arms, umbrella and all. _

"_Which way?" She asked. Once he'd indicated a direction, she took off, swinging him through the rooftops of Paris. He made sure to have her drop him off far enough away from the mansion that she wouldn't know which house was his._

"_T-thank you, Ladybug," he said again, as she set him on his feet. All of a sudden, her earrings made a beeping sound. "You're going to get soaked without your suit," he blurted. "Here," he made to hand her the umbrella in his hand. "We can't have Paris' top superhero getting sick, now can we?" He gave her a small smile. She tried to wave him off._

"_I'll be fine, where I'm going isn't that far…"_

_He thrust the umbrella back in her direction. "Come on, I insist," he said firmly. She stared at him a moment, her earrings beeping frantically, before taking the umbrella. Their fingers touched briefly, sending a jolt down his spine._

"_Thank you, Jean Luc. Take care," Ladybug said, giving him a small wave before disappearing around the corner._

_Once she was gone, Adrien sighed, turning back towards his own house. Now he'd just have to face his father's wrath before he could go to sleep, assuming he couldn't sneak back in unnoticed. But he couldn't help but think dreamily of the beautiful girl who had just selflessly saved him from himself._

* * *

Marinette's eyes were wide by the time he'd finished telling his tale.

"Oh. My. Goodness. That was you?!" Marinette squeaked, trying to wrap her head around everything. Adrien was looking down into his lap, looking morose. Marinette, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with excitement now. "Wait right there," she commanded, sprinting away towards her room. Adrien looked to Plagg, who shrugged, then Tikki, who smiled a secret smile.

"What-?"

But before he could finish, Marinette was back, an old, black umbrella clutched in her her hands. Adrien's eyes widened as he jumped up, taking it from her.

"Y-you…you still have it? After all this time?"

Marinette blushed. "Um…surprise?" She quipped, giving him a sheepish smile.

"B-but…what? W-why?"

Marinette turned as red as her suit and hid her face in her hands.

"You might as well tell him, Marinette. He'll figure it out eventually," Tikki squeaked mischievously.

"I wouldn't bet on it," Plagg chimed in. "He's notoriously oblivious when it comes to women."

"Hey!" Adrien said with a mock-hurt look at the kwamis before turning back to Marinette. But still she stayed silent, a feeling of the utmost embarrassment emanating from her. Then, all of a sudden, he saw it. The only way to describe what was happening was…a vision maybe? He wasn't sure. All he knew was that everything else fell away; he was vaguely aware of where he really was, but it was as though he was trapped in his head as he caught a flash of what had to be a memory. His Lady's memory.

* * *

_A younger Marinette, probably around sixteen years old, was sitting in her room, a magazine featuring Adrien Agreste splayed open on the desk in front of her. She had a half-finished sewing project, which was no longer holding her attention sitting next to the magazine._

"_Oh, Tikki, he's GORGEOUS!" Marinette squealed, tracing Adrien's photographic face in the picture with a finger. "I'm going to marry him one day! And then we'll have two kids -no, three! And a cat…or wait! A hamster! I love hamsters…"_

"_Marinette!" Tikki laughed, "you don't even know that guy! He could be the biggest jerk on the planet, for all you know!"_

"_Ugh, like Chloe," Marinette added, making a face. "But I'm sure he's not…" she trailed off, staring dreamily at the photo._

_Tikki smirked. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you like him because he reminds you of that boy!"_

_Marinette looked like a deer in the headlights, dropping the magazine on the floor as she flailed._

"_Boy, what boy? There's no…" she stopped as she saw Tikki raise an eyebrow. She slumped, defeated and pouting. "Ok, fine. I'm secretly in love with that boy from the park last week, Jean Luc, I think his name was," she admitted. "Happy now?"_

_Tikki nodded brightly. "Very!"_

_Marinette sighed dreamily. "Adrien's eyes are exactly the same as his. That gorgeous emerald green." She looked up at Tikki, her expression turning serious. "But…I think I love him most because of how kind and selfless he was to me. He…" she stopped, searching for words. "Even though he was the one that needed help, he was focused on making sure __I__ was well. I'm a superhero. It's my job to help people. But he was trying to help ME. The first person to really do that, outside a battle," she finished quietly, staring at photo-Adrien's warm green eyes again._

"_Oh, you've really got it bad, girl," Tikki laughed, shaking her head._

* * *

The vision faded away, leaving Adrien staring at Marinette in shock.

"H-how…?" He whispered, sinking down. "H-how did you do that?"

Marinette's blush receded somewhat, leaving her looking at him in concern. "Do what, Kitty? What happened?"

He swallowed hard. "I- I- I think I saw…your memory?" He said, his voice 's blush returned in full force. "W-what do you m-mean, you saw my memory?" She shrieked, eyes bulging. "The one with the magazine?" He nodded. She groaned, burying her face in her hands again. "My life is _so _over…" Adrien winced. Apparently, that wasn't something he was supposed to see.

"S-sorry! Sorry!" He apologized quickly. "I- I don't know how it happened! I thought you did that?"

Marinette shook her head, face still hidden. Adrien shoved the "how" away for a moment, putting a hand on her shoulder. She raised her eyes to his.

"Mari…_ y_ou…you loved me… even then? Even after you saw me…like that?" He asked, his eyes searching hers for confirmation, glistening wetly.

Slowly, Marinette nodded.

A choked sob erupted from his throat as he lost all control of his emotions. He put his face into his own hands, trying to muffle the sound, but it was a lost cause. He leaned back against the countertop.

He was startled when Marinette climbed up on him, straddling his lap before pulling him closer and kissing him tenderly.

"I will always, _always_ be here for you," she said quietly. "There's nothing you could ever do that would make me leave you. Especially now. We've been through so much together, and now we finally really know each other."

Adrien studied her face, trying to make sure this was real. He was sure she could feel how afraid he was, even if she couldn't see it written all over his face.

"You can't promise that," he whispered, looking vulnerable. "Maman promised that, too, and she left me for over ten years."

Marinette looked thoughtful. "Then I'll promise to do everything in my power to never leave you. Granted, being superheroes is dangerous, so promises probably aren't helpful…But for as long as I am able, I will stay with you. Always. I purr-omise."

Adrien was overcome again, making a sound that was some sort of combination of a sob, a choke, and a laugh. Tears made their way down his face as he gently grabbed Mari's face with both hands and their lips met in a desperate kiss. He felt her tense under his hands before leaning in to his touch. Their kisses were cut short when Marinette pulled back slightly, resting her forehead on his.

"So. What can I do to help?" She asked him, looking earnestly into his eyes. "Do you want me to stay with you? What do I need to know?"

Adrien pulled back from her and looked away, flushing with embarrassment.

"Milady, I…I can't let you do that. You already have enough going on and I can't ask you to stay with me all the time. I could go home and-"

"Please, Kitty," she interrupted, rolling her eyes. She gently took hold of his chin and turned his head so she could look into his eyes. "We're partners. I couldn't be there for you last time, but I'm going to this time. No matter what it takes. So don't try to go all noble on me and make your condition worse by shutting me out."

His eyes filled again and looked down as he whispered, "I don't want to be a burden."

A steely glint appeared in her blazing eyes as she grabbed him in a hug. "Never. You will _never_ be a burden," she said fiercely. "If Gabriel made you feel that way, well, shame on him!"

Adrien looked at her in amazement. The bond, so far as he knew, didn't share thoughts, only vague feelings, and now, apparently, memories. "How did you know?" He whispered.

Mari looked at him sadly. "Lucky guess?" She replied, looking for all the world like it was really a most unlucky guess indeed. "I just…put everything together." She looked down at her hands on his chest as she whispered, "I've never been more sorry to be right, though. You don't deserve that."

Adrien said nothing, just wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, positioning his face in the crook of her neck. He focused on his breathing and the feeling of her stroking his hair again. He felt warm and safe her with her and he let himself relax. It was only when he swayed, beginning to doze off again, that he noticed Marinette jump up from his lap to steady him.

"We'd better get you to bed, Chaton," she said, taking his hand and guiding him to his feet. She glanced at the clock, which, unfortunately for her, only read 20:00. "You go on ahead and get ready for bed. Are you ok if I leave the lamp on to do some writing or sketching while you're going to sleep? Can you sleep with the lights on?"

Adrien gave her a tired smile. "I could probably fall asleep on a rock and not think anything of it right now," he said, rubbing his eyes and swaying on the spot. "As long as you're there, it doesn't much matter to me."

They separated briefly to get ready for bed, then situated themselves in her parents' room. Marinette arranged the pillows so that she could sit up to write or draw, and Adrien crawled in beside her, laying his head on her lap instead of his pillow, let his legs tangle with hers. He sighed in relief as she gently scratched his scalp behind the spot where his cat ears would be, a quiet purr rumbling deep in his chest. He was so grateful for his Lady. He wasn't sure what he would do without her. He basked in her warmth and quickly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Marinette waited until Adrien had slipped into slumber, letting his contentment wash over her, before trying to address the state of her own mind and feelings. She'd done her best to shut her feelings away from the connection so as not to overwhelm him in his retelling, but now that he was safely asleep, she could examine them more fully and not have them bother her partner. He didn't need any more to deal with now, she decided.

She picked up the notebook and pen she'd grabbed before rejoining Adrien for the night, drawing one knee up toward her chest and balancing the notebook on it. Then, she turned to Plagg, who was snuggled up with Tikki in the little bed Marinette had made for her on the bedside table, deciding to address her partner's issues first. "Plagg, you've seen all this before. What do I need to know to help him when he gets panicked?"

Plagg untangled himself from Tikki and floated over to sit in front of her. He sighed, looking over his charge sadly.

"This kitten's been through a lot," he began. "But really, I think the best help you can be is to just physically be close in proximity. If he can see you, hear you, or feel your presence, he will probably be much better off than otherwise." He thought for a moment, a paw to his cheek, before continuing. "I can be with him when you can't, but you have to understand that the risk of him freaking out probably increases with you absent. Tikki can help, too, but it would probably be better if one of us was always with him."

Marinette jotted down some notes. "What about the bakery? He seems to want to help, but considering how things have been going, adding an extra-early morning to his schedule will likely result in him getting quite ill. But I still need to be able to work…?" Marinette said thoughtfully.

Tikki moved to join Plagg in front of Marinette. "I have an idea," she said. "What if you leave Plagg with him when you get up for work. I'll come with you, and we can alert you if you need to be there for Adrien. Though, it might be wise to promote a back-up worker or two to full-time employees so that you have back-up in case something happens." Tikki gazed off into the distance, looking like she was working things out as she talked. "I'd bet he'd still be happy to help in the bakery. Although, I think you should discuss what _he _wants, from you and in his schedule, in the morning when he's more rational. And I think you should plan to be here when he wakes up, at least for tomorrow. He's had a rough few days. He's way more likely to panic if he wakes up and you're not there, especially if he feels stress or fear through your connection. He could easily draw the wrong conclusions."

"Yeah, we don't need a repeat of this afternoon," Marinette muttered, thinking back to the connection incident and scribbling down some more notes. She looked up at Plagg again. "What about if he's already panicking? I've wrapped him in blankets, held him, talked to him, gone through his calming exercise…" She listed these as she ticked them off on her fingers. "Are there any other ways to help? Or anything else should know?"

Plagg looked conflicted for a moment, then said, "Just…he told you that sometimes when he panics hard enough, it sometimes causes vomiting…he wasn't joking about that. I mean, you saw it the other night at Fu's… He'll probably be embarrassed that I told you, but you need to be prepared. It's happened a few times; those were the times it took him a lot longer to get help." Plagg glanced at Tikki before continuing, "That dream he had this afternoon probably would have been one of them if you'd taken any longer to get to him. If he'd woken without you there…" he shook his tiny black head, looking preoccupied as he trailed off.

Marinette shuddered. She could imagine. It probably would have been bad. "What about exercise? He said he liked going running as Chat. Or that training he did the other day in the cellar. Or maybe fencing. Do those help?"

"Only when he's not already panicking," Plagg said. "Once he's started, when he comes out of it, he'll be exhausted. The only thing he'll want to do is sleep. Also, having him listen to music. That sometimes helps preventatively. Gives his mind something to focus on."

Mari looked at the two kwamis as she finished her writing. She looked over it carefully, then began to think out loud. "Ok, so, the game plan is that we'll get someone to cover the early morning shift at least for tomorrow, meet with a couple people to see about getting them to work full-time so I can cut back some, stay with Adrien as much as possible, and if he has a panic attack, try to talk him down as quickly as I can. Does that sound right?"

The two tiny creatures nodded to her, and she reached for her phone to ask for morning back-up. Then she stretched and set her notebook aside, carefully moving her partner back onto his pillow so she could rearrange to lay down beside him

"Night Tikki. Night, Plagg," she whispered, turning out the light before throwing an arm over her partner and falling asleep almost instantly.


	11. Chapter 11

Chat Noir was running as fast as he could. He knew that if he didn't move quick enough something terrible was going to happen, he could feel it. It was dark around him, save for a few dim lights in the distance, but his night vision allowed him to see where he was going. He bounded in through the window into his bedroom, the one in the mansion, and stopped dead. There, in his bed in his huge room, was Marinette, peacefully sleeping. He took a breath, sighing in relief as he watched her. Suddenly he heard footsteps and jumped to hide behind the couch. It wouldn't do to have Chat appear out of nowhere in Adrien's room, after all. Peeking around the side of the sofa, he watched in horror as the familiar figure of Hawkmoth approached the sleeping young woman, who remained blissfully unaware of her surroundings.

"At last, the Ladybug Miraculous is mine!" He heard Hawkmoth hiss into the darkness. He saw a glint of steel; Hawkmoth was raising a huge knife over his head…

"Adrien! Chaton, wake up!"

He watched as if in slow motion as the knife descended upon her…

"NOOOOO!" He cried, bolting up from his hiding place, claws splayed out to attack. Hawkmoth dropped the knife, grabbing onto Chat with both hands…

"Kitty, it's me, it's ok! Wake up!"

His eyes opened wide as he sat straight up in bed, looking around wildly. Marinette was the one holding onto his shoulders and straddling his lap, and he barely registered her concern and worry through their connection. Once he'd met her eyes, she carefully shifted around behind him as she leaned against the headboard, pressing his back into her chest tightly with both arms over his chest. He noticed vaguely that his limbs were quivering, and he felt nauseous. His throat felt constricted and he was gasping. He raised his hands and grabbed onto her wrists like she was an anchor.

"Breathe with me, Kitty," she whispered, doing her best to take deep, measured breaths with him smashing her diaphragm. He didn't respond for a moment. He heard and understood but didn't seem to be able to do what she asked. His stomach was turning unhappily. "Just breathe, sweetheart," she soothed. "Just breathe." Finally, he took a shuddering breath, and then another. She whispered and rocked him slowly as they breathed together. Slowly, the panic and nausea receded and the shivering abated, leaving an exhausted blond man and raven-haired girl slumped against the headboard, his head leaning back on her right shoulder and her chin resting on his left. The two kwamis hovered nervously before snuggling into their Chosen's in an attempt to help comfort them. Adrien glanced at Marinette's phone on the table, which read 2:45 AM. _Fantastic_, he thought sarcastically. _Just what she needs. Me keeping her up all night._

"Are you alright, Adrien?" He heard Mari say from behind him.

He shook his head tiredly. "Not really Milady, but I will be," he answered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked. He shook his head again.

"Let's just get some sleep," he said, sitting up so that she could slide out from behind him. She lay down and he curled into her side as she stroked his hair, and soon they were both fast asleep.

* * *

Marinette's alarm went off at 8:00 AM so they could get ready before Marinette had to take her shift in the bakery. She blinked blearily at it for a few moments before turning it off. She felt Adrien stir next to her.

"Morning Bugaboo," he said sleepily, turning toward her and kissing her softly, pulling her into his arms and cuddling her.

She smoothed his hair back from his face, gazing at him fondly before pressing a kiss to the top of his head.

"Come on, Chaton, let's get a move on," she said, shifting to get out of bed. "I wanted to talk with you before I have to start work for the day. You're welcome to come help, too, if you want," she offered, looking back at him.

Noticing blearily that she was not intending to stay in bed all day, Adrien slowly sat up, gathering his clothes from his bag.

"I'll get started on breakfast," she said. "You go ahead to the shower." He nodded, Plagg trailing him towards the bathroom.

She wandered down to the kitchen with Tikki in tow, beginning to pull out left-over crepes from the freezer and eggs to fry from the fridge. Cheese and creme came to sit on the counter, as well as a cookie or two. She was just chopping some strawberries for the crepes when she felt hands on her hips and a gentle kiss pressed to her cheek.

"How can I help?" He said quietly in her ear. She shivered as his breath made contact with her skin. She looked up at him, noticing his eyes looked dull, although his expression told her he was trying to be upbeat for her sake. She decided not to comment.

"Do you want to keep an eye on the eggs?" She asked, finishing the last strawberry. He nodded, turning towards the stove. "Are you good if I go get ready?" She asked, studying him. He just waved her off as they switched places.

Before long, they were both sitting down to breakfast. Adrien had done a fantastic job with the eggs, Marinette thought as she took a bite. They weren't overdone or underdone…that boy really had a gift with food, she decided.

As they ate, Marinette summarized her conversation with Plagg and Tikki the night before. As expected, Adrien flushed, and Marinette could feel his relief and gratitude tinged with embarrassment as she outlined their plans to keep them together as much as they could. She could tell that he still felt like he was burdening her, but was so thankful that she wasn't abandoning him that he let her make her plans without protest. As they talked, Marinette's phone buzzed with a notification from Master Fu, who was hoping she could return for more training that afternoon.

Marinette: Will be there around 17:00, if that's ok. Bringing Chat, too.

Fu: No, please come alone.

Marinette was less than pleased. Clearly, Fu still felt that Chat Noir should be kept in the dark. Her eyes narrowed, and she could see Adrien watching her from the corner of her eye. She felt conflicted- Fu was the Guardian, he was wise. He usually had good advice. However, she was unwilling to leave Adrien to his own devices for that long, especially in light of what Plagg had filled in for her the previous night, as well as what had happened during their last meeting. He needed her, and he was her partner first, before she was named the Guardian's successor.

Marinette: Sorry Master, not budging on this. Chat comes or I don't.

Fu: Very well. I'll see you both at 17:00.

"What was that about?" Adrien asked warily. "You felt…upset."

Marinette shook her head, pushing the feelings away. "It's nothing," she said quickly. "Just a friend doing something stupid." It… technically wasn't a lie… She hoped her anxiety and guilt didn't show through their bond, attempting to shove it down.

Adrien raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing her, but decided not to press her at that moment.

"Anyway," she said, changing the subject, "I assume you're going to be staying here with me for the foreseeable future?"

He nodded, his expression vulnerable. "If you're sure it's not a problem, I would love to stay here. I'd be happy to help with the bakery, cleaning, money for food…whatever you need. I just…"

"It's ok, Adrien, I don't mind," she said, laying a hand on his arm. "It's nice to have you around," she said brightly. "But anyway, I was thinking that if you want, we can evaluate and come up with a schedule that works for us both. For starters, are there any of your activities that you want to continue with, now that you get to choose? Or new ones? Or just get rid of them all?"

Adrien looked startled. "_I_ get to choose?" He stared off into space for a moment, trying to wrap his head around this. Marinette could feel his bewilderment. She decided to rescue him from the swirling mess in his head before it got out of hand.

"Well, some things are going to be decided for you if you stick with me, I'm afraid," she said ruefully. "You're free to do whatever you want, but I…I have to keep the bakery going. And if you're wanting to stay where I am, the bakery is going to be a must on your schedule."

"That's not a problem," Adrien said happily, his smile finally reaching his eyes. "I loved helping you in the bakery, and I'd really love to see what else I can do…though I _didn't_ love the early morning schedule," he added, making a face.

"That's fine," Marinette replied, smiling at his enthusiasm. "We can always take a shift that starts later, maybe around 8 or something? I can find someone else to start things in the morning."

Adrien nodded in agreement. "I can manage that. How long would that last?"

Marinette chewed her lip, thinking. "At least until noon, but if we have large orders like that wedding next weekend, it will probably be later than that, maybe like 16:00?"

Adrien mulled this over. "Maybe until I have a better handle on my emotions, maybe I should just stick with the bakery and visiting Maman. I can tell my instructors I'm taking a break for now. I can decide if I'm going back to fencing and stuff later."

Marinette nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. Stress might make things worse. While we're making the schedule, Master Fu wants us to come by at 17:00 this afternoon. So maybe for today, we can work in the bakery until you're ready for lunch, then we can have some down time and then go to Fu's. Do you want to visit your mother today?"

Marinette was surprised to feel…fear and anxiety, she thought, through their connection.

"What is it, Chaton?" She asked, studying his face. He looked uncomfortable.

"I just- when I think about my mother, I get this horrible sense of dread. Like, I almost can't bring myself to do it," he explained. "And it- it sounds stupid…because I wanted my mother back for so long…" He trailed off, his anxiety growing. Marinette could sense a storm in the making.

"Adrien," she said, catching his attention, a determined look on her face. He met her eyes. "Do you want to go for a run, or kill the flour sack, or do your calming exercise? Pick one. Please," she said.

"Yes Milady," he said obediently. He was glad she was taking charge; his mind was swimming. "Uh…" he trailed off, seemingly unable to make a decision.

Marinette watched him. She didn't want to take away his choices, but his anxiety was still mounting. "Come on, sweet Kitty, let's go for a run," she decided, trying to sound upbeat. She saw a flicker in his eyes. "Tikki, spots on!"

"Plagg, claws out!"

* * *

Ladybug and Chat Noir pulled themselves out onto the balcony, then the rooftops. Ladybug looked to her partner, who was starting to lose color in his face. Desperate to pull him out of his own head, she cast around for something to distract him.

"Tag, you're it!" She cried, leaping away. "Catch me if you can, Kitty!" She saw him stare at her for a moment, startled, before a wicked grin spread slowly across his face.

"Oh it's on, Bugaboo! You'll never escape me!"

They tore across the city, bounding and leaping over chimneys, swinging and helicoptering across the gaps, teasing and calling back and forth to each other.

_Make sure you stay in sight,_ Tikki reminded as they played. _The last thing Chat needs right now is for the press to get footage of him losing it because he can't find you. _

Ladybug privately agreed. Making a public spectacle of her hurting partner was not part of the plan for the day, thank you very much. She was aware they needed to get back soon for work, too. Finally, once Chat was 'it' again, she headed for their spot halfway up the Eiffel Tower. When she arrived, however, Chat must have been waiting for her, because he jumped out from behind a support beam behind her, poking her sides and causing her to squeal before she tackled him in a hug. Then they flopped down on the platform, panting and laughing and gasping for breath.

"Thanks, Milady. I really needed that," Chat said. "I was becoming a prisoner in my own head. Thanks for busting me out." He winked at her cheekily.

Ladybug waved him off. "No worries, Kitty. I got your back. Always." She studied him. "Do- do you want to talk about anything?"

Chat Noir sighed. "I don't want to…but I know I should. It will help at some point, probably." He was quiet for a moment, thinking as she took his hand in hers and interlocked their fingers. She could feel some of his anxiety returning, though (thankfully) nowhere near where it was before. "I think…I think it might be because Maman was gone for so long, as well as Father's death. I think I fear her disappearing again."

"Like…you are worried if you let her back in, if she dies or leaves…you're trying to protect yourself?" Ladybug asked, brows furrowing.

Chat nodded slowly. "I know she probably isn't going anywhere and that her leaving last time wasn't her fault, and that dying isn't something we can stop, but…" he sighed. "No one ever said emotions were rational."

Ladybug stared out over the city. She could sort of understand. It would be amazing to see her own mother again, but…she sighed. If she were in Chat's position, she could maybe imagine that, too. Everyone he'd loved had left him at one point or another, except for her, Ladybug. It was probably normal to want to hold people at arm's length in case it happened again.

"I won't force you to do anything you don't want to do," she said, choosing her words carefully. "I know your mother probably would like to have you around, but…you have to take care of yourself, Kitty. When you're ready, I will be right there with you, if you want me to."

"Always," Chat replied, squeezing her hand. "Now, we really should be getting back before we're late for work," he said, helping Ladybug to her feet.

"Look at you, being all responsible," she teased. Chat pretended to pout.

"I can be purr-fectly responsible!" He said, sounding offended.

"Yeah, right," Ladybug snorted, giving her partner a shoulder nudge. "Come on, last one there's a rotten akuma!"

* * *

Once they got back to the bakery, their day veritably flew by. Marinette put Adrien to work learning how to make croissants and pain au chocolat after he made another batch of cream puffs, this time with filling. This kept him busy for a good share of the shift. For her part, Marinette focused on baking and frosting cupcakes and making macrons in every color of the rainbow, which took up most of her concentration, leaving little energy or brain power for conversation. They contentedly worked in silence, their partnership in the kitchen refining and Adrien's skill set growing rapidly.

"Sometimes, I really don't like you," Marinette grumbled playfully as they sat down on the stairs to her apartment to taste-test Adrien's latest creations at the end of their shift. "How can you be this purr-fect? It's downright unfair! You know how long it took me to be able to make these correctly?" She asked, holding up her croissant as she took a bite. Adrien flushed at her praise, but looked truly proud of himself.

"Well, Milady, I'm sorry to be the cause of your _pain,_ but as a wise man once said, 'you can't win 'em all.'" He joked, puffing out his chest as he sampled the cream puff. He frowned. "I have to say though, Mari, I think you did a better job the other day with the filling for these. I think mine is too thick. What say you, oh great Dupain-Cheng Shifu?" He asked, making a mock-worshipful pose.

Marinette shot him an amused look and rolled her eyes as she bit into hers. She chewed on it thoughtfully. "I don't know, I think it's pretty good. It could be a little on the thick side, I guess," she said. "Definitely awesome for a first attempt though."

Adrien rolled his eyes with a crooked smile. "Mari, you don't have to try to spare my feelings. If it's not good, just say so. I can take it," he said, picking up his final pastry, careful to avoid getting chocolate on his fingers.

"I'm not!" Mari protested. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Ok," she relented, "it's a little on the thick side. Happy?"

He snorted, throwing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side. "I'd like to know if I'm doing it wrong so I can fix it next time," he said. "Thanks for trying to be sensitive, though. Goodness knows I've had enough unwanted criticism to last the rest of my life…" he muttered, brow furrowed.

Mari, sensing dangerous territory, pulled out her phone. "We'd better go get cleaned up before we have to get to Master Fu's," she said, pulling Adrien out of his unhappy thoughts. She got to her feet, attempting to pull Adrien up behind her. She got a split-second's warning as she noticed his smirk before he pulled her easily back into his lap, spinning her so she was facing away from him and wrapping his arms around her. He was amused that, in their superhero forms, they were pretty evenly matched for strength, but when they were without the suits…well, he wasn't Chat Noir for nothing. Even though she was fit, she was no match for his strength and extremely light, not to mention a little bit of a klutz.

"Well, Bugaboo, looks like we're staying here," he purred suggestively. She poked his nose.

"Nice try, Kitty, but Master Fu will probably come looking for us if we don't go to him," she pointed out.

He sighed. "I hate it when you're right," he said, carefully getting to his feet. But instead of setting her down, he slung her over his shoulder.

"Adrien!" She gasped, affronted. "Adrien! Put me down!"

"Never!" He cried, laughing, making his way upstairs as she tried to poke his sides like he'd done to her earlier in the day. "Too bad, Purr-incess," he teased. "I'm not ticklish. Nice try though." He tossed her onto the sofa as she huffed, though her eyes were sparking. He felt love wash over him, hers for him. It was strong; it was powerful; it stopped him dead in his tracks and it brought sudden tears to his eyes, which spilled over when his own feelings added to hers. He saw her eyes filling with tears as well, before, in one swift movement, they launched themselves at each other. He nuzzled into her neck while she pressed a light kiss to his cheek.

"Love you," Adrien whispered. "Thank you, Mari. For everything. For being here for me."

"I love you, too, Adrien," she said softly, pulling back to look at him. "I love everything about you Kitty, and-"

"Marry me," he blurted impulsively. _What?_

_Kid!_ Plagg interrupted in his head, _What the hell was that? What are you-_

Adrien tuned Plagg out as his thoughts started to swirl, trying to read her expression. From nearby, he thought he could hear Tikki cheering, but his focus was on just stood there, dumbfounded, her mouth hanging open like a fish. Surprise and shock radiated from her in waves. "Wh-what?"

"Not- not now, obviously!" Adrien amended quickly. _Oh, I've really done it now! Holy crap, what was I thinking!? _He scolded himself.

_You weren't. Obviously… _Plagg's dry voice sounded in his head. Adrien privately agreed, but ignored him as he continued.

"I-I just…I know that whatever future I have absolutely has to have you in it. I don't care when or where or-"

"Yes," Marinette squeaked, turning red. Now it was Adrien's turn for his jaw to hit the floor.

"Wha- really?" He said, a huge grin spreading across his face.

"Yes," Mari said as an equally goofy, love-sick expression appeared on her face. "I told you, Kitty, I'm not going anywhere. And the only place I want to be is right by your side. No matter what."

She cupped his cheeks in her hands and kissed him passionately, which he happily returned. They staggered back, lost in each other, until her back was pressed up against the wall, the fronts of their bodies flush against one another. Her hands tangled in his hair and his cupped her jaw and ghosted down the side of her neck. She shivered at his touch, gasping…until their activities were cut off by Marinette's phone ringing. Marinette sighed, pulling it from her pocket as Adrien groaned at her movement.

"It's Master Fu," she said sheepishly. "We were meant to be there twenty minutes ago."

Adrien groaned again, this time in exasperation. "Fine," he panted. "Just…just give me a minute." He backed away from her, looking like it was taking all his self-control to put any kind of distance between them, before he disappeared from the room for a moment. Marinette, too, was attempting to compose herself. She smoothed her clothes and took down her hair for a moment, pulling it back into twin braids as Adrien re-entered the room looking a little more put-together than a few minutes previously. His hair, at least, looked like Chat Noir's rather than spiked in every direction like it just had been moments ago. He met her eyes, flushing red, before studying his hands.

"Ready," he mumbled gruffly.

"Right," Marinette answered him. "Let's go."

Transformations were made, and seconds later, the room was empty.


	12. Chapter 12

The trip to Master Fu's and the subsequent training were pretty uneventful. Fu consented to teaching Chat the meditation alongside Ladybug…for now. Marinette still wasn't able to convince her mentor that Chat should be included in Guardian training, something she was still rather displeased about. To make matters worse, Chat seemed to have trouble with meditation. His mind wandered, he was restless, and his frustration kept spilling over into Ladybug's mind. By the time training was over, he was in a foul mood. It abated somewhat once they had made their way home, made some dinner together (pasta primavera, one of Adrien's favorites), then flopped on the couch with their food, eating silently. Adrien broke the silence, turning so that he was sitting sideways to look at her.

"So…sorry about the whole 'seeing your memory' thing earlier. I didn't pull it out of your head, I promise!" He looked at her, thinking as he loaded his fork with food. "Actually, it kind of felt like you were…pushing it toward me? Is that how it works?"

Marinette shrugged, her face flushing pink. "I don't know, I didn't mean to send you a memory. Obviously," she grimaced, pointing to her now-red face.

Adrien smirked, setting his empty bowl down on the coffee table and putting his head in her lap. "What do you say we explore our new powers for a bit? It might be good to see about this memory thing, anyway. Could be useful."

Marinette rolled her eyes. "Ok, Kitty. Should I try to send you another one?"

Adrien nodded, closing his eyes and taking hold of one of her hands.

Marinette focused as much as she could, choosing a memory to send. Then, she imagined the memory wrapped up in a ball, throwing it towards the part of her mind that housed Adrien's feelings.

* * *

_Fourteen year old Marinette was at home with her family. She had just saved the city for the first time with her new partner, Chat Noir. She had a spring in her step as she helped her mother prepare dinner. The news cast played in the background, singing the praises of Paris' new superheroes. _

_All at once, she heard Nadja exclaim. Stoneheart had been multiplied! Now there were hundreds of rock giants frozen all around the city, just waiting for the moment to strike. A look of terror came over Marinette's face, and she turned on her heel, racing upstairs to her room and slamming the trap door behind her._

"_Tikki, I told you I wouldn't be a good superhero!" She wailed, burying her face in her hands. "Look what at mess I've made of this! I failed! Chat Noir would be better off without me." _

"_It's ok, Marinette. You'll be able to fix it," Tikki said encouragingly. "Besides, only Ladybug can purify the akuma. Chat's powers don't do that." But Marinette just shook her head._

"_I'm sorry, Tikki, but I can't do this. I'll find you and Chat Noir a new, better Ladybug. One that won't screw everything up," she whispered sadly, taking off her earrings and placing them in the hexagonal box. Tikki disappeared._

* * *

_The scene changed and Marinette was at school, slipping the hexagonal box into a fourteen year old Alya's bag. All of a sudden, Stoneheart made a reappearance, taking Chloe and another girl Adrien vaguely recognized from the classroom before stomping away. Alya sprinted away to film the fight, Marinette tailing with Alya's bag she'd forgotten- the one holding the Ladybug earrings. He watched himself as Chat Noir attempt to take on the stone giants alone, Marinette watching in horror from the sidelines as he was captured and Alya pinned behind a thrown car. They both called out for Ladybug. Little did they know…_

"_I have to help! I can't just sit by and do nothing!" She said, looking determined, taking out the earrings and putting them back on. _

_The rest was just as he remembered. Ladybug rescued him, Alya, and Chloe; the police told them to stand back so the pros could handle it. He looked on as Ladybug's insecurities shone through for a moment, before Chat encouraged her to give it another chance. Hawkmoth's face appeared in a swarm of akuma. Ladybug stood up to him and captured all the butterflies like some sort of crazy-awesome ninja with Chat looking on in astonishment. Then they leaped into action, saving the day, before taking off into the Paris skyline._

* * *

When his head cleared, Marinette was watching him carefully. He could feel her uneasiness and guilt. He sat up to pull her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her and settling his chin on her shoulder. They sat in silence for a moment.

"Milady, it's ok that you were afraid," he said finally. "No one was seriously hurt, and you did your best to fix your mistakes. That's what matters here. We were learning; we were going to mess up. I did, I got myself captured by the akuma! Besides, it's not as if Master Fu taught us Superhero Training 101 or anything before we had to go out and save Paris." He finished his rant, pressing his forehead to her temple before returning to his original position.

She didn't respond for a moment, then said quietly, "You are the only reason why I still have the earrings, Adrien. When the police chief blamed us for the situation getting out of hand…I believed him. He was right! I was about to go home, try to find someone else to be Ladybug again, give Alya another chance. But…I had an amazing partner who still believed in me, even though I messed everything up." She reached back to put a hand on the side of his face. "Without you, Ladybug wouldn't exist. So…thank you for believing in me, Kitty," she said, kissing his cheek.

After a while in silence, Marinette turned back to Adrien. "So…do you want to try to send me a memory?" She asked. He nodded into her shoulder.

"Just give me a moment while I figure out which one," he said. After some deliberation, he nodded again. "Ok, I'm ready. What did you do to get the memory to me?"

She thought it over. "It was like…I wrapped the memory up in a little ball and threw it towards the part of my mind that connects to yours. I'm sure you could do it differently though, and it would still work," she said. Curiosity was overtaking all other emotions; Adrien could practically feel her mind working overtime. "I wonder if eventually the memories will just…leak into each other's heads automatically, and we will have to consciously try keep them back," she thought out loud.

"We can figure it out later," Adrien said. "For now, let's see if I can make this work."

Adrien focused on the chosen memory and imagined wrapping it up in a ball and throwing it with all his strength towards Marinette's mind space. She flinched, then shook her head.

"I got a flash of something, but nothing more. I couldn't really tell what it was, besides that you were in it." She frowned up at him. "Try again?"

Adrien concentrated, his brow furrowed, making the same mental motion as before. He felt her shake her head again.

"Still the same." She tapped a finger on his arm in thought. "Maybe try a different way?"

Adrien did as she asked, feeling frustrated. He closed his eyes, imagining the memory being pushed towards the space that Marinette's feelings occupied, like a wave pushing towards the shore with no room for escape.

This time, Marinette stopped still for a longer moment, before turning to him. "I-I saw you as a little kid making cookies with your mother," she said. "I couldn't hear the conversation you had though, it was just the one image. Whatever strategy you used seemed to work better for you that time, though."

Adrien slumped with a sigh. "I'm sorry. Maybe I'm not cut out for this," he said hiding his face in her neck. Then he sighed again, slipping out from behind her and making his way to the kitchen with their dishes.

* * *

Marinette watched him retreat into the kitchen, running water and soap into the sink. She could feel his frustration mounting, along with disappointment and insecurity. She wasn't sure if he wanted to be left alone, or if she should try to get him to talk to her.

"Do you want any help?" She asked as he began to wash dishes. She felt a stab of irritation from their connection, which flitted across his face before he could clear it.

"No, that's ok, I've got it," he said, trying to sound casual. She raised an eyebrow at him, but he pretended not to notice.

"Are you sure?" She asked, trying to engage him. "I can-"

"Yes, Mari, I think I can handle the washing," he said sarcastically, sounding annoyed. She could feel his irritation growing.

"Alright," she said, clearing her mind to keep her hurt from bleeding through to him. She made to get up. "Will you be ok if I-"

"Yes, Mari. Just…stop, ok?" he said angrily.

Her face hardened.

"Fine," she said, before turning on her heel. She felt his anger fade as fear and guilt replaced it.

"Mari, I'm- I'm sorry! Please-"

"Don't!" She shouted. She took a breath. "Just…I need some time, ok?"

She pushed a wall up between her feelings and his as she ran down the stairs to the cellar. She didn't want to know what he was feeling right now, though she could still feel his consciousness there. She shed her t-shirt, leaving her in her training bra and leggings, before turning towards the flour sacks. With a battle cry, she flew towards her quarry with single-minded focus, delivering as many blows as fast as she could. She danced and turned, attacking again and again, dimly aware of Tikki floating near the stairs watching her progress. She paid Tikki no mind, however, as she continued her assault on the unsuspecting flour sack.

* * *

Adrien watched in a daze as she stormed away. He felt her anger and hurt flare momentarily, before the feelings disappeared abruptly.

_Plagg, what did she do? I feel her there, but I can't feel her feelings, _he said, starting to get anxious. He heard Plagg's mental sigh.

_I expect she put up a barrier to stop you from sensing her emotions,_ he said. Adrien trembled at the implications of that, his knees giving way before he sank down into a ball on the kitchen floor, his knees pulled up to his chest. He buried his face in his hands, resting them on top of his knees. She was pushing him away. He'd hurt her, and now she was pushing him away.

_Did…did Tikki tell you where she went? _He asked, hoping she hadn't decided to leave. His breathing became shallower.

Plagg mentally nodded. _She's just down in the cellar. Don't panic, she's not leaving. Breathe, kid. It's going to be ok, _he promised.

Adrien did as instructed, feeling a little better.

_Come on, kid. Finish up those dishes, and then you can go make this right,_ Plagg continued, zooming into Adrien's pocket to grab his phone, turning on the recording of his last piano lesson. Adrien usually used his recordings to cover for himself being out as Chat Noir, but he hadn't realized how calming it was to actually listen to the music. He slowly stood up, turning back to the sink, keeping his mind firmly focused on the melody. He had work to do.

* * *

Marinette paused in her attacks, panting, hands on her knees.

_I was just trying to help, Tikki, _she complained angrily. _Is that so wrong?_

Tikki sighed as she floated closer. _No, Marinette, but…_ there was a pause as Tikki looked unsure for a moment. _You realize that he probably feels like he's incompetent, right?_

Marinette twisted, giving the flour a sharp kick at head-height.

_That's no excuse,_ the Ladybug hero muttered mentally.

Tikki shook her head. _No, it really isn't, but…just think about it. He's out of his element at the bakery, he feels like he's complicating your life, his meditation this afternoon was…awful, if I'm being honest, he's just found out that it's seemingly easier for you to share memories than it is for him, and then when you asked him if he needed help with household chores that he's not used to doing…_

…_He just snapped,_ Marinette finished for her, looking thoughtful as she did a punch combo. _How come he couldn't send me memories, Tikki? If anything, he's been better at sharing than me…_

_It could be that you have more control and focus over your mind than he does, _Tikki said. _Or…what you said about him sharing more than you might have something to it. You have been a lot more closed off when it comes to sharing your feelings through the bond, and he's shared some pretty heavy stuff with you vocally. Maybe…maybe you're shutting him out subconsciously. _

Marinette glanced at Tikki, processing her words as she attacked the flour again.

_I'd guess it's a combination of the two, _Tikki continued. _He does seem to have trouble clearing his mind to a single focus for more than a couple minutes, but I think his receptivity to you is also greater than yours to him. _

Marinette said nothing, focusing again as she threw herself back into her work-out. She was still angry, though now she felt guilty as well. She jumped, using the wall to ricochet back to aim a kick at it while letting loose a battle cry. She threw herself into another sequence, twisting and turning with quick, light steps. As she finished the sequence, she caught sight of Adrien standing on the bottom step to the cellar looking thunderstruck. _When did he get there? _She thought. _Damn his silent cat paws…_

* * *

Adrien finished his work, taking particular care to make each dish spotless. He dried them and put them away, listening to the soothing sound of the Debussy piece he'd practiced a couple weeks ago. Finally, he turned off the tune and turned towards the stairs, hesitating.

_What if she doesn't want to see me, Plagg?_ He asked. He was afraid, he was totally and completely aware of the fact. His heart began to race. _What if she sends me away? I didn't mean to hurt her…I was more angry at myself, actually…_

_Then just tell her that,_ Plagg said, sounding exasperated. _She'll understand. Just don't forget to breathe._

Adrien gulped and took a slow breath, then slowly took a step towards the stairs, then another, then another. He slowly and silently made his way down to where he knew he would find his Lady, but the sight he was met with made him stop in his tracks.

Her blue eyes were flashing, narrowed in focus as they darted around the room planning her next moves. She stood up on her toes as she moved, flitting about just like the insect her superhero was named for. Her raven hair was in disarray, beginning to escape the high ponytail she had fixed it up in, and her face was flushed with exertion. Her arms were toned with fine muscles. His eyes trailed over her form, taking in the light sheen of sweat and flour that coated her arms, her face, and her flat stomach. The air shimmered as flour floated in every direction, giving the light in the room a hazy quality.

_She's so beautiful,_ he thought dreamily. He knew his jaw was probably dragging on the floor, but he didn't care. Then she turned and met his eyes, breathing hard; he flushed at being caught staring, particularly when she wasn't fully dressed. Her face turned even redder, and her eyes narrowed.

"Mari, I-"

"Adrien-"

They both spoke at once, then their mouths snapped shut. He eyed her again, carefully keeping his eyes locked on hers, though the temptation to stare elsewhere was difficult to resist. When she didn't open her mouth to speak again, he rushed ahead.

"I'm sorry, Milady," he said, carefully taking a couple steps towards her. She looked at him warily, then at her current state of undress, and then past him to where he dimly noticed her shirt was. Catching her meaning, he snatched it up, tossing it to her in case she didn't want him near her. He stared at his hands, very aware of her as she quickly pulled the shirt on over her head, tugging her hair away from her neck. His stomach flipped as he met her eyes again. She still looked upset. This wasn't going the way he'd hoped..

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I shouldn't have snapped at you. I-I think I was mostly angry with myself." He looked at his hands, but kept talking. "I mean…I absolutely sucked at meditation, and then I couldn't send you the memory…I just…I thought you'd think I was stupid or something, that I wouldn't be of any help to you, that I was someone that needed your pity instead of your equal. I really want you to see me as your equal." He struggled to find better words to express himself, but finding none, lapsed into silence.

Marinette was just staring at him, still looking upset. Then, with a deep breath, she cleared her expression. As she did so, he felt her emotions return. He breathed a sigh of relief, even though her feelings were still turbulent. She was letting him back in!

"I'm sorry, too," she said. "I shouldn't have let it get me all bent out of shape. I just…I want to help. But I'm sorry if I said or did anything that made you feel small." He reached a hand toward her invitingly, his expression questioning. It changed quickly to a small smile when she closed the distance between them, putting her small hand into his larger one and interlacing their fingers. She wrapped her other arm around his neck pulling him into a hug.

"You don't have to hide your feelings from me, Mari," he said, pulling back to look at her seriously. "I won't be angry at you for being angry, or sad, or anything else. You know that, don't you?"

She sighed, leaning her head against his chest. "I know that logically, but…it's just a lot, you know?" She paused, looking as though she were searching for words. "Like…some part of me is terrified at the idea of being that open with you. It's too exposed, too vulnerable." She sighed again. "Tikki thinks that part of why you couldn't send me the memories was because of me…because of me being like that. Closed off," she admitted. "She thinks it's likely that both of us have things to work on to be able to do that."

Adrien seemed to accept this. "And maybe working on my meditation will help?" He wondered. "I mean, if it's mental focus that does it for me, meditation should improve that…eventually."

Marinette nodded. "I think that's an excellent idea. We can add it to our schedule." She checked the time on her phone before heading towards the stairs. "We should probably think about getting to bed. There's more to do tomorrow."

* * *

Marinette was lying awake in the darkness, aware of Adrien's deep breathing beside her. Despite her insistence that they needed rest after the events of the day, she could not for the life of her get her mind to shut down. She had built up a mental wall so that Adrien would not be disturbed by her emotions, but then let them out, running wild around her mind.

She knew that the threat to the Miraculous currently was relatively small with Hawkmoth gone. But she couldn't help thinking that someone- anyone- would have been a better choice than her. She didn't have the experience, or the wisdom, or the knowledge that would make her a good guardian. And she couldn't even talk to her partner about it, the one person who would understand, who would support her through everything.

A tear leaked down her cheek as she thought of Chat Noir. She couldn't bear the thought of continuing to hide things from him. She had thought they would be able to share everything now that their identities were out of the proverbial bag, but now… Now she was supposed to hide a huge piece of her life from him, maybe indefinitely! And…and what if Master Fu was right to have her do so?

She hated the idea that Chat Noir could be a danger, a threat, but logically, she knew it was a possibility. His mental and emotional health were on edge constantly these days. All it would take is a threat to her own wellbeing and he could easily snap, using his considerable power for any purpose he wished. He was a good man, she knew, but good men could be broken.

Guilt and despair overcame her. She was alone. She had to keep secrets from the man she loved. And she was terrified that she would let the world down.

She curled up into a ball facing away from her partner, shaking with silent sobs. All at once, a pair of arms wrapped around her. Her wall must have burst, she thought ruefully, as Adrien stroked her hair.

"It's ok, Bugaboo. It's going to be alright," he whispered. She shook her head silently, knowing nothing could fix this. She was to be Guardian. There _was_ no one else who could do it. And she couldn't let him have her back. Not this time.

"Mari, look at me," he said softly as he sat up, scooping her into his lap. Her blue eyes met his green as he looked at her intently. "Do you want to talk?"

She stared at him a moment before she crumpled. "I- I can't," she whispered brokenly.

She felt his flash of hurt, before he gathered her closer to him. "Then just know, if you need my support, I'm here for you. Even if you can't talk about it. I love you," he said, rocking her as her sobs renewed. She felt overwhelmed by his care for her, even though she was keeping things from him. She eventually fell asleep in his arms.


	13. Chapter 13

Over the next few days, the duo fell into an easy rhythm that consisted of making breakfast together, working in the bakery, training with Master Fu several times that week, visiting Emilie, and nightly meditation practice before bed. Adrien was still periodically having panic episodes, but he thought they were becoming less frequent, especially as they added meditation to their routine. He found that clearing his mind before bed helped keep the nightmares away. They had been interested to note that, while Marinette excelled in focusing her mind to a singular thought process, Adrien's preference was to clear it in its entirety. Once they figured this out, meditation went much more smoothly.

Neither of them mentioned the incident of Marinette's breakdown. Adrien would sometimes watch her with concern, but Marinette pretended not to notice. He would wait for her to bring it up, but she never did, not really knowing what to say, or what she _could_ say. So the subject stayed untouched on, and eventually, they both forgot about it. Or at least, Adrien did.

Marinette stayed by Adrien's side as much as possible in the days that followed, jumping in with distractions or calming him as was needed. Adrien was incredibly grateful for her support and care. By the end of the week, Adrien thought he would be content to continue living this life forever: just him and Marinette and their simple work and plans. Or, as simple as it could be when they were both animal-themed superheroes.

So it was a shock to his system when he woke up on Saturday morning with a feeling of dread seeping into his heart. Something was off about today; what was it? He noticed his suit and thin black tie hanging over the door of the closet and it hit him like a freight train- today was his father's memorial service. He took a shuddering breath, then jumped when a hand touched his arm gently. Marinette was already awake, peering at him in concern.

He took a slow breath, not willing to allow himself to fall apart. His mother needed him to be strong today. Maybe later, when everything was finished, then he could curl up in Marinette's lap and allow himself to cry or panic or whatever he was going to do. But he knew if he didn't keep himself together now, it would be much harder to later. Marinette was breathing deeply, silently inviting him to match his to hers. His head cleared. It would be ok, he told himself.

They lay there for a moment together, Adrien taking comfort in her presence, before they slowly got up and began to get ready for the day's events. Marinette had been introduced to Emilie as Adrien's girlfriend, so she was permitted to attend the service as a family member. All too soon, the two of them were ready, Adrien in his conservative suit and tie, and Marinette wearing a stunning black sleeveless dress, black pumps, and a black blazer with 3/4 sleeves. Her hair was done up in a bun. With his hand clutching hers tightly, they descended the stairs to the car Adrien's mother had sent to pick them up.

* * *

The service itself was a solemn, regal affair. Adrien kept an arm around Marinette's shoulders, his free hand squeezing one of hers until he was sure he was breaking her hand. He would not cry; he would not panic, he told himself. He knew that his hold on his Lady's hand was the only thing keeping him grounded. His mother was next to him, tears flowing freely, with Nathalie on her other side, looking pained. He was thankful he hadn't been asked to speak. However, before he knew it, the service was over and people were getting to their feet. They returned to the manor, where a reception was being held. Looking around the formal living room, he thought he recognized a few of his father's work associates, but there were only a few people who came to begin with. Everyone was talking only in hushed whispers. Now if only they could slip away…

"Adrikins!" A voice rang out across the quiet room. Adrien sighed, as he looked up to see a blonde woman in an expensive-looking black dress racing toward him.

"Chloe," he said evenly as she tackled him in a too-tight hug. He kept a hold of Marinette's hand. He felt Marinette shift beside him and caught a wave of distrust and anxiety from her, mixed with maybe a little…jealousy? _Uh-oh, _he thought. This wasn't going to be good. He extricated himself from Chloe's grip (which turned out to be quite difficult as she seemed to be draping herself all over him) before indicating the raven-haired beauty next to him.

"Chloe, this is my girlfriend, Marinette," he said. Now it was Adrien's turn to get his hand nearly broken as Chloe gave Marinette a look of deepest loathing.

"Dupain-Cheng," she sneered, "What a…surprise."

"Likewise," Marinette said cooly. Marinette's anger flared in his mind like fire, though her grip on Adrien's hand was the only outward indicator of her feelings. "I wasn't aware you and Adrien _actually_ knew each other."

The emphasis she put on the words made it sound like an accusation. There was obviously some history to this comment, because Chloe flushed angrily, about to retort, when Adrien cut in.

"Chloe and I have known each other since we were five years old. She was basically my only friend for a long while," he said softly, trying to de-escalate the situation before Chloe made a scene. While she was his oldest friend, he was under no delusions that she would put up a fuss if things didn't go her way, and Ladybug was never the type to take crap lying down. This could get ugly really quickly. "Anyway, thank you so much for coming, Chloe. My mother and I appreciate your family's support at this time. Will you excuse us?" He turned on his heel, pulling Marinette with him towards his mother, who was speaking with one of the company board members, without looking back.

"I don't know what was going on back there, but…maybe we can talk about it later?" Adrien said to Marinette in an undertone. She nodded, though he noted that she still looked incensed.

They stayed by his mother for the rest of the time, keeping an eye on her as she visited with their guests. Luckily, Chloe avoided them for the rest of her visit and the reception was short. Soon everyone was gone except for Emilie, Nathalie, Adrien, and Marinette. Adrien quickly looked for an escape, which he found as Emilie retired to her room, in need of some privacy. She was evidently not in a mood to entertain anymore.

"Excuse us," Adrien said to Nathalie, pulling Marinette behind him up to his room. Once in the room, they closed the door, letting the kwamis out of their hiding places in Adrien's suit pocket and Marinette's small handbag. Adrien loosened his tie and flopped down on his bed face first, Marinette sitting down a little more gracefully beside him and rubbing his back. It had been a long day, and Adrien was exhausted. He couldn't get the interaction between Chloe and his Lady out of his head though, so finally he rolled onto his side, propping his head on one hand to look at her.

"What's the deal with you and Chloe? You seemed really upset," he observed, watching her carefully.

She sighed, kicking off her heels before curling up facing him.

"I'm sorry," she muttered. "I know I was being childish, and today _really_ wasn't the time or place…I just…something about her always gets to me. No matter how much I wish she didn't."

Adrien sent his confusion her way through their bond, raising an eyebrow. She sighed again, her emotions indicating her displeasure and unease.

"Do you mind if I…?" She gestured to his head.

He shook his head. "Please."

He watched as she closed her eyes, concentrating. That cloudy feeling overtook him as her memories entered his head.

* * *

_The first ones came in swirling flashes, barely snippets of events from days past._

_Marinette was eight, being excluded from Chloe's birthday party, the only one of the class who wasn't invited. _

_Now she was eleven, and Chloe was putting chewing gum on her desk chair at school._

_She was fourteen and Chloe got the entire school in trouble by pulling the fire alarm during Mr. Dupain's cooking class because she didn't want to get dirty, then got out of it herself by throwing her politically powerful father's name around._

_She was ten and Chloe was accusing her of stealing her favorite bracelet in front of the entire class._

_She was seventeen and Chloe locked one of Marinette's friends in the bathroom on school picture day so her friend missed the photo, just to be nasty._

_Then the scene solidified. Eighteen year old Marinette was in the school courtyard with Alya, waiting for class to begin. She was looking less put together than he was used to seeing her, dark circles under her eyes clearly visible and wearing a slightly mismatched hoodie and leggings. Her twin braids hung limply around her face. She and Alya were looking through a fashion magazine, one featuring Adrien as one of the models. _

"_Oooh, Alya, look at this one," Marinette sighed, her shining eyes giving a spark of life to her tired face. She was indicating the plum-colored evening gown the female model was wearing opposite to an eighteen year old Adrien, who was looking dashing in a black tux with a green vest and bowtie. They were so busy admiring (ok, Alya was looking on with faint interest while Marinette gushed about design lines and different textures of lace), that they didn't notice Chloe sauntering up to look over their shoulder, Sabrina tailing her closely._

"_Dupain-Cheng," she sneered. "Planning what you'd do with a fortune if you ever got your hands on it? Of course, if you bought that dress, your family probably wouldn't be able to eat for a month." _

_Sabrina snickered, while Alya narrowed her eyes. Marinette turned red in anger and humiliation._

"_What do you want, Chloe?" She ground out from between her teeth._

"_Just making sure you know your place, MariTrash," Chloe said airily. "Anyway, you'll never amount to anything, so you might as well stop swooning over Adrien. As if you'd ever be good enough for him! You're practically a peasant." She paused, puffing up impressively. "Adrien and I have been promised to each other since we were babies, you know, and he's my boyfriend! He'd never even notice you. Not compared to me, everyone __adores__ me. And your pitiful designs are too…ugh! Gabriel Agreste would never, _ever_ consider your work. You have absolutely no talent!"_

_Alya snorted, coming to stand protectively in front of Marinette, who was looking near tears. "Yeah, right! Going out with Adrien Agreste… I bet you don't even know him! And you wouldn't know talent if it slapped you in the face! Mari's won contests for her designs- __Gabriel Agreste's__ contests. So buzz off, Chloe! Nobody wants your __utterly ridiculous__ comments here."_

_Chloe narrowed her eyes at her usual verbiage being hurled back at her. She was about to continue her verbal assault, this time on the red-haired girl, when the warning bell rang for class and she stomped off, Sabrina following in her wake._

* * *

When Adrien's mind cleared, he saw Marinette in front of him. Her eyes were closed, though he could see tension in every muscle of her body. Tears were making their way silently down her cheeks, settling on the bedspread. He reached out and took her hand. She opened her eyes to look at him.

"I'm so sorry," he said sincerely, looking earnestly into her eyes. "I'm so sorry she hurt you like that." Marinette took a shaky breath, giving his hand a squeeze, but said nothing. He went over everything again in his mind, and a piece fell into place.

"That…that was just after you found out about your mother, wasn't it? That she was ill?" He asked her, not really needing an answer. She nodded anyway.

"Chloe had always gone out of her way to make my life hell. She hated me from day one. I still don't understand why. But, yes, I think I'd only found out a couple months before this happened. Money was tight because of Maman's treatments. I was probably going to have to give up fashion. I hadn't slept properly in weeks… It was like she was throwing knives at me instead of words. I thought I'd taught myself not to care about anything she said, but…" she sighed, looking exhausted. "I just couldn't help it. It's a miracle I wasn't akumatized."

Adrien sat up, pulling her into his lap. He unpinned her hair, stroking it lightly "Don't worry about her anymore, Bugaboo," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You may not have become a renown fashion designer, but you became a talented baker, as well as Ladybug, the most beautiful, determined, and selfless superhero ever! You became my Bugaboo! A talented, clever, kind, caring woman who loves this broken Kitty more than I probably deserve. And I am not ashamed of the person you are. You could be a janitor or a queen, and I would still love you the same either way. Because of _who_ you are, not _what_ you are."

He heard her try to choke back a sob, and he rocked her gently as she broke down in his arms. She wasn't calming very well, he noted. She must have been bottling this up for a long time- years, even. Suddenly, he had an idea.

"Plagg, claws out," he muttered.

A flash of green light later and Chat Noir was holding Marinette to his chest, purring softly to comfort her. He wished away his clawed gloves again, continuing to stroke her hair. He waited as she calmed, then relaxed, then became heavy and limp signaling him that she'd cried herself to sleep. He picked her up, tucking her into his bed, before curling up around her and releasing his transformation. He threw his suit jacket onto the floor and was asleep almost instantly.

* * *

Marinette was walking along the Seine. It was a beautiful day, and she was looking forward to spending some time sketching. It had been a long time since she'd had time or energy to do anything besides work. She settled herself down next to the water and sighed. She desperately needed this. She began drawing a design, not for clothes, but for a chandelier-style wedding cake. She was engrossed in her sketches, until a voice rang out, disturbing the silence.

"Mari, move!" She looked up in horror to see three people sprinting towards her. One of them was her beloved Kitty, looking terrified, desperately trying to reach her before the others. She only had time to register that the others were Hawkmoth and Chloe before attempting to leap to her feet. Being not transformed and caught off guard though, she didn't have time to get away before Hawkmoth struck her with his sword, leaving a bleeding slash to her stomach. She fell heavily to the ground. Hawkmoth raised his sword again, and Chloe a small dagger, moving in closer.

"NOOO!" Chat screamed, his movement becoming frenzied, almost feral, as he kicked Hawkmoth away from Marinette, who was breathing shallowly. He engaged Hawkmoth, but Chloe was still at his love's side. It didn't look like she was planning to do anything to help her, either, as she grinned down at her evilly, dagger in hand.

"Well, MariTrash, I think we can safely say you are the most pathetic being to ever exist," Chloe was saying in a ringing voice, carving a cut down the length of the black-haired girl's arm. She yelped in pain, but was unable to muster enough strength to move away. Chloe continued. "You worthless brat. You're nothing!" Another slice on the other arm, and a yelp of pain. Chat trembled. He needed to get to his Lady! But Hawkmoth would likely destroy both of them and take their Miraculous' if Chat Noir didn't keep him engaged. He didn't know what to do! Chloe kept talking. "Adrien doesn't love you. He feels sorry for you! Disgusting wretch." Another set of cuts, these ones short slashes criss-crossing Marinette's torso. Chat swallowed hard. There was so much blood…

Marinette was barely conscious by now. Everything hurt. She was dimly aware of Chat Noir trying to fight off Hawkmoth, but the darkness was pulling her in. A pair of hands roughly shoved her, and she was falling. She noticed vaguely that she was soaking wet…and then the blackness pulled her under.

"NOOOO!" Chat cried again, as Marinette disappeared under the murky waters of the Seine. His heart was breaking. His enemies were watching him, grinning maliciously, reveling in his anguish. His pain solidified into anger. Rage such as he had never known was building inside him, turning everything else to dust like his Cataclysm. "You will pay for what you've done," he snarled dangerously. Chloe just laughed, seeming unphased by his mounting dark feelings. Readying himself in a defensive stance as Hawkmoth leaped toward him, he twisted at the last second, grabbing Hawkmoth's arm, sending him flying into Chloe, where they tangled and fell. They tried to regain their positions, but Chat was too quick for them with his cat-like agility. He leaped after them without hesitation. "Cataclysm!" He roared, catching both of them with the swirling black magic surrounding his right hand. Both beings turned to ash, dissolving in front of him, before he leapt into the water after his Lady.

* * *

Marinette sat up in bed, shaking and shivering, a cold sweat covering her from head to toe. The room was pitch black. She had no idea where she was or what was happening. She was vaguely aware of someone else next to her, who was also trembling uncontrollably. The person thrashed about, making a strangled sort of sound. _Chat Noir,_ her fevered mind supplied helpfully. He was rolling and thrashing, his limbs caught in the sheets. She shoved her panic away. She had to help him!

She tried to shake him awake. "Chat, wake up! Wake up, Kitty!" She dimly noticed a thin Oxford shirt material rather than Chat's usual thick leather suit under her fingers before a hand connected painfully with her face. She cried out in shock, clutching her cheekbone as she rolled away from him. That was going to leave a bruise, she thought unhappily. She shoved it to the back of her mind as she noticed Chat Noir was still tossing and turning, facing away from her now. He was evidently still dreaming. Her mind cleared a little more as she focused on him. Chat needed her. She leaped back towards him, wrapping herself around him and holding him tightly to her chest.

"Chaton, wake up, it's ok," she said, growing worried. She'd been able to wake him up fairly easily before. This was going on too long for her liking. He cried out in his sleep, nails clawing at his face in agony.

"Mari! Mari…NOOOO!" His thrashing was getting more intense, his hand raised as though about to strike…

"Tikki!" She said urgently.

"Here, Marinette," she heard the kwami reply next to her head.

"Turn on a light, please, preferably not a bright one," she asked quickly. "Plagg?"

"On it," Plagg said, anticipating her order, zooming over with a wastebasket.

Several things happened in rapid succession. Tikki flipped a switch, turning on a bedside lamp. Mari's eyes adjusted to briefly take in Adrien's enormous room before Chat Noir's- Adrien's- eyes snapped open, darting around in panic. He couldn't breathe past a block in his throat. He tugged weakly against Marinette's grip, feeling suffocated, and she quickly let him go as he sat up, swaying unsteadily. His face was tinged with green again. Plagg pushed the wastebasket into Mariette's hands just before Adrien attempted to turn his stomach inside out. He retched again and again, but by now there was nothing in his stomach to rid himself of. When he'd finished, he slumped back against Marinette's chest, breathing heavily. Tikki floated carefully over to them, a glass of water clutched in her tiny paws. Plagg brought a towel, laying it carefully next to them. Marinette set the wastebasket on the floor and took the glass, setting it gently on the bedside table. She took up the towel, handing it to Adrien so he could wipe his face, which he did slowly. Then she held onto his chest tightly from behind, stroking Adrien's sweat-soaked hair as he attempted to regulate his breathing, rocking him slowly from side to side as she comforted him. There were a couple of times when she noticed his emotions spike into sheer terror again, his breathing and heart rate picking back up as he clutched her wrists.

"Shh…" she whispered. "You're ok. You're ok. You're safe now, mon chaton. You're safe, mon amor."

"Mari," he whispered in anguish, his teeth chattering as he shivered. "D-don't l-leave me. D-don't ever l-leave me."

"Never," she promised. "You're stuck with me, chaton."

Adrien tried to laugh, but it came out a choked sob. He broke down then, hunching over as though he were physically in pain and burying his face in his arms. Marinette gently guided him to lay down in her lap, rubbing comforting circles on his back and shoulders. She thought back to her dream, and shed a few tears of her own. She hadn't been able to get away, hadn't been able to help. She had been the bait for Chat Noir…She hadn't noticed Adrien becoming still until he shifted in her lap, looking up at her and taking her hand. It seemed that the appearance of her pain shook him back to himself somewhat. She held it tightly like a lifeline, laying her head on his shoulder and breaking down into sobs.

"It's alright, Bugaboo," he whispered shakily, rubbing circles on the hand he was holding. "You're ok. We're both ok."


	14. Chapter 14

They awoke the next morning stiff and sore after having slept the rest of the night in their awkward position to a knock on Adrien's bedroom door. Adrien cracked an eye open before quickly closing it again. Sunlight was streaming through the window. He registered his head still in his Lady's lap and her shifting in an attempt to stretch out the kinks in her back and neck before the knock came again, more insistent this time.

"Adrien?" Came Nathalie's voice from the hallway.

"Yes, Nathalie, what is it?" He called back, uncurling his legs for a moment before rolling over to stretch out like a cat, yawning. He noted they had also fallen back asleep with the light on. Go figure.

"Your mother is waiting for you in the dining room for breakfast," she replied. "And Miss Marinette," she added.

"Thanks," he said, hearing her receding footsteps. He looked up to see Marinette blushing.

"I wonder what she thinks we've been doing in here," she blurted, looking embarrassed. "I did just sleep over in your room, you know. I'm sure your mother has things to say on the matter." She grimaced, then winced as she uncurled her own legs and attempted to get off the bed. Adrien flushed, too.

"Maman won't be angry," he said, a little uncertainly. "She'll probably tease us a little, if anything. Though, after yesterday, I can't imagine she'll be in that sort of mood." He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Besides, whatever they think we're doing, they probably already thought that anyway…we _are_ technically living together, after all."

Marinette nodded, looking around as though trying to figure out their next move. He could feel her discomfort at the situation. They hadn't planned on staying the night here, after all. It was then that he noticed a dark purple bruise blossoming on her cheekbone.

"Mari! What happened?!" He asked, tracing the mark lightly with an index finger. He could feel more than hear her hesitance. "I…_I_ did that, didn't I?" He whispered in horror, drawing away from her in shame. He felt a hand grab his arm tightly.

"Kitty, it was an accident. You were sleeping, you didn't know-"

"But-but I still h-hurt you," he said, not meeting her eyes until he heard her laugh softly.

"Adrien, the fact of the matter is, I could have just as easily been the one to hit you, had I been the one having a nightmare." He shivered. _No, don't think about that,_ he scolded himself. "But it wasn't. It will heal soon enough, and it's nothing a little concealer won't be able to handle," she tried to reassure him. "Besides, I'm such a klutz, it's not like I don't have any experience with accidents like this one." He wasn't completely convinced, but nodded, casting around for a change of topic.

"If you'd like a shower, feel free," he said, gesturing towards the bathroom. "I can find something else for you to wear, if you'd like." She nodded gratefully and he stood up. "Just give me a minute," he said, disappearing into the bathroom to use the facilities before turning to his closet and pulling out an old pair of sweatpants he'd outgrown during his last growth spurt and his Ladybug t-shirt (he smirked at the irony), as well as a towel and washcloth and a tube of concealer (He happened to have one just in case. It was the model in him.) for Marinette. He'd moved a lot of his clothes to her apartment above the bakery, but, thankfully, there were still some things here for him to use. He left them on the counter near the sink and opened the door to find her standing there, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders in soft waves. She was biting her lip as she thought about something.

_I love this girl,_ he thought as his stomach did a flip. He held out a hand to her.

"Everything ok, Mari?" He asked studying her.

She sighed. "Still thinking about…whatever that was last night." A weight settled in his shoulders, and he shifted uneasily, his heart rate spiking uncomfortably. That whole thing was pretty horrible. He had been trying _so_ hard not to think about it… "We should probably talk but…your mother's waiting for us," she reminded him.

He let out the breath he was holding, then nodded in agreement. "We can come back up here after breakfast to talk, or we can go home. I'll leave it up to you. We don't have to work today, right? It's a Sunday, after all."

Mari shook her head. "I was thinking we could visit Papa later, but otherwise, no, nothing planned for today."

He gave her a small smile and squeezed her hand. "Well, Milady, you'll likely be _feline_ better once you have your shower. Go on, love. I'll wait here."

She rolled her eyes at him fondly and disappeared from view.

* * *

A few minutes later, she reappeared, wet hair done up in a bun on the top of her head. His heart swelled at the sight of her wearing his shirt, which had a knot in the hem so it didn't drown her small form. He inspected her face, but the make-up was done so expertly, you couldn't even tell there was a bruise. Satisfied, he pulled her in for a quick kiss, then quickly took his turn in the shower. He came back a few minutes later, matching her in sweats and a t-shirt, to find her on the mezzanine exploring his media library. He silently crept up behind her, noticing the tension in her shoulders. She didn't notice his approach, lost in thought. His mischeviousness must have bled through their bond, though, because she reeled around to face him even as he swooped down on her, scooping her up in his arms. She grinned and poked his nose.

"Kitty, if you're going to sneak up on me with your silent cat paws, you'd better learn how to hide your emotions from me. Giving me a clue with your _felines_ really ruins the effect," she said, turning his pun back at him as she stretched up in his arms to give him a quick kiss on the lips. He pouted at her, and she laughed. It was then that he noticed she had something clutched in her hand.

"What do you have there, Milady?" He asked curiously.

"Your favorite book," she answered confidently, holding it up. He caught sight of a green cover emblazoned with the words, "The Hobbit." He looked at her in wonder.

"How did you know that?" He asked, staring. She looked unconcerned.

"It's the only one that looks like it's in disrepair," she said. "See how the binding is cracked here? You've obviously read this without a bookmark more than once, as I highly doubt your father would've been caught dead buying you books second-hand."

He registered her remorse at her choice of words, but he brushed it off. He was impressed by her observation. "The first time I read this, I was about ten years old," he said. "I always loved the idea of an ordinary person going out on an adventure. It was so different from my real life. Even though I had my mother, I was still kept at home most of the time, even then." He paused, thinking, then continued. "Bilbo Baggins wasn't a warrior; he was just an ordinary hobbit that made the really difficult decision to be brave and ended up altering the fate of the world." He paused, setting her down as he looked at her in admiration, still keeping her wrapped in his arms. "Just like you, Milady. So many people look up to you because you made that choice to do what was right rather than what was easy."

"Reading Harry Potter, too, I see," she smiled. "Nerd," she teased, poking his nose again.

He gave her an offended look. "Excuse me, Milady, but I happen to think my taste in books shows a certain…um…" he trailed off, searching for a word.

"…dorkiness?" Mari finished mischieviously.

"I was going to say 'refinement,'" he said seriously.

Marinette burst out laughing. "Ok Kitty, if you say so," she giggled, taking his hand. "Come on sweetheart, your mother is waiting."

* * *

Breakfast was a quiet affair; Emilie had come down momentarily, but Nathlie had quietly informed Adrien when they had reached the empty breakfast room that she had just pushed her food around her plate for a while before giving it up and retreating to her room. The Miraculous duo ate quickly in silence. As they were finishing up, Nathalie called out to him.

"Adrien? A word?" She said, looking at him expectantly. He looked at Marinette in silent question, who nodded.

"I'll just go gather our things from upstairs," she said, moving away.

Nathalie indicated that he should take a seat at the table, and she sat down beside him.

"Firstly, Adrien, I wanted to let you know that your mother is not well. She is taking the loss of your father very hard. I know you've come to visit her a few times, but as she does not wish to burden you with her problems, she likely will not have told you. So I took it upon myself to inform you. My opinion is that she could benefit from visiting a therapist, but so far, she has refused. Perhaps she might listen to you if you suggested it to her."

Adrien nodded. He suspected his mother needed help, but he did not feel himself to be in a position to be her support. Not when he needed Marinette to keep him together half the time. "That is a good idea, Nathalie. I will discuss it with her the next time we visit." He watched her as she seemed to agree to that before pulling out her tablet.

"The next thing- I received an email yesterday about the execution of your father's will. You have inherited everything from your parents, as your mother was officially declared dead several years ago and your father did not have time to change his will. Included is the house and the company. Your father's lawyers and I wish to meet with you to discuss how to proceed, including the future of your modeling career." Adrien shifted nervously. He had little practical experience with this sort of thing, including negotiating with business gurus.

"Of course. We can come by sometime this week. Maybe on Thursday, Mari's free in the afternoon…"

"Only you, Adrien. Your girlfriend is not involved in this." Nathalie said sternly.

Adrien's face hardened. "Marinette should be there. I- I _need_ her to be there," he said softly.

"Adrien, I know you dating her, but…I confess I'm concerned. I know your mother assumes that you have been living together for some time, but I know that before a couple of weeks ago, you hardly set food out of the manor without your father's say-so, let alone moved out or dated anyone. If she's taking advantage of you, using you for your fame or your money…well, I don't want to see you get hurt. Your father wouldn't have wanted that for you."

Adrien was shocked; he had rarely heard Nathalie open up in such a manner, if ever. He was a little irritated that she would think that Marinette was some sort of gold-digger, but he knew that it probably looked suspicious to anyone who didn't know their secret identities…so basically everyone. They'd never really discussed what their cover story would be on how they grew close so quickly. How was he supposed to talk his way out of this one?

"Nathalie, I appreciate your concern," he began. "But I would trust Marinette with my life. I've come to really depend on her." He thought for a moment, noticing Nathalie shifting uncomfortably, making a decision. "I- I started having panic attacks again," he admitted quietly, seeing Nathalie's eyes widen. "Around the time of the incident in Father's secret chambers. Marinette has been there for me through everything. She's seen me at my very, very worst and yet she's stayed and cared for me with such kindness. I-I don't deserve it. But if she was only after my money, if she didn't actually care about me, she would have run for the hills the first time it happened; those episodes are damn scary. But she hasn't done that." He paused, then grimaced, flushing as he appeared to remember something. "Speaking of, it might be good to have someone…tidy up my room later. Last night…well, last night was one of the worst ones yet. I- I might have… gotten sick at some point?"

Nathalie nodded slowly, processing this revelation. She likely realized just how much Marinette had been through with him. Her concern faded slightly. "I will allow Miss Marinette to accompany you to your meeting," she said finally. "And I will send the housekeeper up at once."

Adrien sighed in relief. "Thank you, Nathalie." He stood to leave, turning back for a moment. "Oh, Nathalie? Can you send me my information for my main financial account? If I'm living on my own, I'm going to need a way to support myself."

Nathalie nodded. "I'll have it sent to you before the end of the day. I'll go gather any access cards now and you can take them with you. Is there anything else you need?"

Adrien thought for a moment. "I've been wondering about getting my piano brought over to my new place," he said finally. He hadn't mentioned it to Marientte yet, but he was sure she wouldn't mind. "Or buying one of my own. I need to think about it a little more, but if you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them."

Nathalie nodded again. "I'll send you my research on that by the end of the day as well," she said.

"Thanks. Take care, Nathalie," he said, turning back toward the door and striding quickly away to collect Marinette so they could be on their way.

* * *

A little while later, the couple swung in through the window to their apartment as their superhero selves. They shed their super suits and got snacks for their kwamis before Marinette turned to her partner. She let her nervousness shine through a little, trying to be open with him.

"Are you good if we go visit Papa today?" She asked, trying to read his expression. His unease covered his face and seeped through the connection to her awareness. "We don't have to if you don't want to, but…but I will probably have to go see him sooner or later. The weekend we met with Hawkmoth would normally have been when I'd have gone otherwise, so it's been a while."

"O-ok." Adrien said. He was freaking out a little bit. She'd seen photos of the guy, the man was massive. Chat Noir or no Chat Noir, if her father decided he wasn't to be trusted, Adrien would probably end up a Chat-shaped stain on the carpet.

Marinette laughed. "He won't flatten you, Kitty. He looks huge and scary, but he's completely harmless." She turned toward the kitchen again to pull out some snacks for their trip.

Adrien nodded but privately was thinking, _Unless someone hurts his little girl and then it's game over._

"Oh, don't be like that," Marinette said, her back to him. "He just wants to know I'm safe. Besides…" she trailed off as his shock hit her, turning around to see him trying to pick his jaw up off the floor. "What? Do I have something on my butt?" She turned, trying to catch sight of what he might have been staring at.

He flushed. "What? No! I just…you just responded to my _thoughts!_"

Now it was her turn to look thunderstruck. "Really? You…you transferred your thoughts to me? Like…telepathy?" She covered her mouth with her hands. "Did you know we could do that?"

Adrien shook his head, his eyes wide.

Marinette looked thoughtful. "This…this is wonderful, Kitty!" She celebrated, holding up her hand for a fist bump. He touched his fist to hers lightly, looking dazed. "You sent something to me, and I heard it! Maybe we could try you sending a memory again." She beamed at him. "This is amazing!"

Adrien pulled himself out of his stupor. "Why don't we get ready to go? You said your father is living in the country. If we want to get back before midnight, we'd better get a move on." She pouted at him. "We can experiment on the train. We'll have plenty of time."

She sighed. "Oh, all right. But don't think you've gotten out of it."


	15. Chapter 15

Less than an hour later, they were dressed in their normal clothes and on the train heading south out of Paris. Marinette turned to Adrien as they settled themselves, along with Tikki and Plagg, into their chairs.

"So? What did Nathalie want? Back at your house?"

Adrien proceeded to fill her in about his mother, the meeting with the lawyers, and Nathalie's concern about their relationship. Marinette sighed.

"We should have known people might think it was suspicious how quickly we took to each other. Come to think of it, I still haven't told Alya and Nino. I'm going to get an earful from Alya when I do, I know that much."

Adrien nodded, but let the subject drop as he remembered something else.

"Hey Mari, do you think it would be possible to move my piano to your place?"

Marinette remembered the enormous baby grand in his room.

"Um…I think it might be a little large for my house. Like, we could have the piano or the other living room furniture, but not both." She paused, thinking. "Anyway, how would we get it up all the stairs?"

"Maybe crane-lift it in through a window?" Adrien suggested. "You know, like they do in old movies sometimes."

Marinette laughed. "Yeah, right before the piano falls on someone and they get flattened like a crepe." Adrien snorted at the mental image, then stared at the ceiling, trying to find a solution. "Maybe…I had Nathalie give me all the information for my financial accounts. I probably have enough from modeling as a teenager to be able to buy a smaller one. An upright, maybe. That would fit better in your house, and we'd be more likely to be able to get it up the stairs."

Marinette looked at him doubtfully, but relented. "If it means that much to you, of course we can see about getting you a piano." Adrien grinned, pulling her into his side in a hug as his smile lit up the entire space around them.

"Thanks, Mari. I didn't know how much I missed it until the other day. It seems to be a good way to help me relax and calm down." Marinette smiled at his obvious joy.

"You're welcome, Kitty."

They lapsed into silence for a while, then Adrien pulled out his phone and some earbuds, handing one to Mari as she looked at him questioningly.

_Cover for if one or both of us zones out while we're doing mind power stuff, _he thought to her.

He waited to hear her answer him back mentally, but nothing happened.

_Did you try to telepathically send me an answer already? _He asked. She nodded, brow furrowed. He could feel her disappointment.

He sighed mentally. _Great. Just when we thought we were getting the hang of this… _He, pulled her tighter into his side. _I'm going to try the memory thing again. Hold on. _He concentrated, trying his method of a wave pushing the memory towards Marinette. Her brow furrowed, then she looked up at him and shook her head.

"Same as before," she whispered.

He sighed. _Do you have your notebook?_ He asked. When she nodded, he continued. _You can write your answers to me. Or we can use my phone, whatever you'd like._ She quickly pulled out her notebook and a pink gel pen. He mentally sighed. _Well, Milady, what do you make of this? Apparently I can reach you with words, but you can't answer back, and you can reach me with memories, but I can only send you a single image._ _The question is, why? _He sat back as both of them pondered this predicament. Then Marinette began to write.

_Maybe it's like…a new power or something? _She suggested. _It's different because it has something to do with our suits. Like Cataclysm or Lucky Charm._

He felt like they might be getting closer, but it didn't quite make sense. Something she said was niggling the back of his mind…_But we could both do the emotion sensing thing, _he pointed out.

_That could be explained though. We both have extra strength when in costume,_ she wrote with a shrug.

He still felt like he was missing something. _Cataclysm and Lucky Charm…_he mused. _Wait. Mari, what happens when you use your Lucky Charm? You get an object, and then what?_

She looked at him curiously. _Well, then I have to figure out how to use the object,_ she wrote.

_How? _He asked. _How do you figure out what to do with it?_

She wrote back, eyes shifting as she thought. _I look around and…see…_ her mouth made a small 'o' shape. _Things highlighted in my mind as I see them. Like…pictures._

His excitement spilled over. _What if that's the answer? What if it's just a difference in how our minds work? Like with meditation? _He turned to her, tapping her hand excitedly. _Try something for me. I'm going to ask you a question that needs more than just a yes or no answer, and you try sending me a picture or series of pictures to answer. Ok?_

She nodded. He smirked at her.

_Ok. Where can I find a bezeor?_

She rolled her eyes, but then pictures filled his mind of a stomach and a goat.

_Nerding out much, Kitty? _She wrote. He chuckled softly.

_Let's try again. What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?_

She had to cover her mouth to stifle her laughter. She sent him a picture of an equals sign.

_Also known as?_

An image of Professor Snape filled his mind. _"…As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, also known as aconite. Well? Why aren't you all writing that down?!"_

Adrien had to stuff his fist in his mouth to muffle his laughs this time. When he finally started to calm, Mari lost it, which broke his resolve. Soon they were holding their stomachs and gasping for breath, tears running down their faces as they struggled to get a hold of themselves. They finally calmed down, and Adrien offered Marinette a fist bump, which she happily returned, sending him a picture of balloons and confetti in celebration.

_Yeah, we did it! Bien joue, Mari. _

She rolled her eyes, thinking for a moment, before pulling her notebook toward her again. _You did all the work,_ she wrote. _Also, this communicating-with-pictures thing is harder than it looks._

He shot her a sympathetic look. _Well, we can practice. It will get more natural the more we do this. _They settled back in their seats and Adrien picked up his phone turning on a song. Marinette sent him a mental picture of Jagged Stone. _Yeah, it's Jagged Stone._

Mari leaned her head against his shoulder and he set his cheek on top of her head, basking in their accomplishment as they silently continued their journey.

* * *

They finally arrived at a train station in the countryside near a small town called Chaintreaux. Marinette led Adrien to the platform where a large young man with a brown hair and a goatee waited for them.

"Marinette! Good to see you," he boomed. Marinette took Adrien's hand, pulling him behind her as she approached the man.

"It's nice to see you, too, Paul," she replied, giving him a brief hug. "Adrien, this is my uncle's son, Paul. My cousin." Adrien shook Paul's hand, before Paul gestured towards an old red truck behind him.

"Shall we go? Uncle Tom has been anxious to see you, Mari. It's been so long since your last visit."

Marinette looked regretful, throwing their things into the back before climbing into the front with Adrien. The cab was small, so she perched on his lap as the truck started to move. "Things have been awfully busy. I meant to come down, but I just couldn't get away. You know how it is."

Paul laughed. "Well, no, can't say that I do. Life around here is a slower pace," he added to Adrien, who was watching their exchange curiously. "The bustle of city life is a distant memory in a place like this."

Adrien watched the scenery go by outside the window as he realized how small the town really was. There were only a few buildings; some houses, a church, and a couple of small shops. They really were in the middle of nowhere. The buildings looked old, and several of them had ivy snaking up their aging facades.

They finally arrived at their destination, entering a sleepy-looking, vine-covered house behind Paul, who showed them to the main living room. Tom was sitting in an old armchair next to the window as he watched the birds who were flitting around a small bird feeder outside. Adrien felt Marinette's anguish wash through him as they looked at her father. His eyes were sad, his clothes fit poorly as though he'd lost a lot of weight in a short space of time, and his hair and mustache were scruffy, as though he hadn't cared to put any effort into his appearance.

_Is this..Is he worse off than the last time you were here?_ Adrien asked tentatively.

Marinette responded with a whirling mental image of her last meeting with her father, during which he had not left his room. He took that to mean it was progress, but she was still sad to see her father this way.

"Papa," Marinette said softly, trying not to startle him. He jumped a little anyway, turning to look at her. When he met her eyes, she made her way towards him to give him a hug. Adrien saw Tom give a small smile as she reached him, throwing her arms around him. "I've missed you, Papa," she said, pulling back, but keeping hold of his hand. He didn't answer, but Marinette evidently didn't expect him to. Adrien noticed that Tom's green eyes were firmly focused on him. Marinette noticed, too, because she let go of Tom's hand and walked over to grab Adrien's instead, pulling him over to a small sofa with her.

"Papa, this is my boyfriend, Adrien," she said softly. Her father's eyes narrowed. Adrien gulped. "He's been helping me in the bakery," Marinette continued, either missing or ignoring the tense moment that the men were having. Probably ignoring, Adrien thought vaguely. He was sure that his nervousness was seeping through to her. "He has quite a bit of natural talent for baking, and he's helped me out of a few tight spots with large orders the last couple weeks."

Adrien's heart swelled as Marinette showed him off to her father. Tom's face relaxed minutely, before he opened his mouth. Adrien could feel Mari's shock rolling off of her in waves.

"Thank you for taking care of my little girl," he said quietly in a voice that sounded croaky from disuse. He extended his hand to shake Adrien's. "She's always been independent, but knowing she has someone she can count on makes all the difference to me. Thank you for being there for her."

Adrien took Tom's hand in relief. "Thank you, sir. I will do my best be good enough for her, but I know that's impossible." He threw an arm around Marinette's shoulders, looking at her in loving admiration. "Your daughter is someone very special," he added. "She deserves the very best."

Marinette poked his side, causing him to jump. "Ok, ok, enough," she said, clearly embarrassed.

The rest of their visit went smoothly. Marinette told stories with Adrien, while her father looked on. He didn't say much still, but they could both see a little more light in his face. Soon it was time for Paul to take them back to the station. Adrien could feel Marinette's joy as her father rose from his chair to engulf her, then Adrien, in a bone-crushing hug.

"Take care of her," Tom said seriously to Adrien as he released him.

Adrien nodded solemnly. "I will, sir. She is everything to me," he said sincerely.

"Good. And none of that, son. Tom will do." Tom saw them to the door as Paul helped them into the truck, keeping them in sight as they drove away.

* * *

When they were finally settled back onto the train with earbuds as cover again, Marinette let her happiness flow into Adrien's mind. She again sent him a mental image of balloons and confetti in celebration.

_Your father was a lot better today, wasn't he? _he commented, smiling at her. She nodded. She was so relieved that everything had gone well, and her father seemed to be much happier, especially knowing that Marinette wasn't alone anymore with her burdens. Perhaps that was something he'd been beating himself up over for a long time, she realized, knowing that his little girl was struggling to manage the bakery and her feelings mostly alone.

They sat in silence for a while, lost in their own minds, before Mari pulled out her notebook. Then she sent him a picture of a physics book. He looked at her questioningly.

_What about physics? _He asked.

Marinette sighed, pulling the notebook towards her. _I wasn't sure how to picture-speak this clearly, _she wrote. _I was mostly wondering what you wanted to do about your career. If it was something you wanted to go back to school for physics or something, or take over your father's company, or what you thought you'd do now. _

Adrien chewed his lip thoughtfully. Truthfully, he hadn't thought much about it. He was so happy to just _be_ right now, he hadn't even really considered anything else.

_I don't think I want to go back to school, even if it is for something I'd like this time around, _he began, pausing as he put his thoughts together. _I've really loved working in the bakery with you, and the company will officially be mine in a couple of days, whether I like it or not. _He hesitated before continuing, his nervousness spilling over to her._ If I'm being really honest, I love the idea of staying home with my family full-time, being Daddy Daycare eventually. I want to give my future family everything I didn't have when I was younger. _

Marinette smiled, and pictured a vivid mental image of herself, a little older than she was now, baking raspberry macrons with a raven-haired little boy with sparkling green eyes, while Adrien, also a little older, walked by carrying a tiny blonde girl with her mother's big blue eyes on his shoulders. Adrien snitched a cookie from the pan, while Marinette attempted to swat him away. The children laughed at their antics…

The scene cleared before Marinette realized that Adrien's feelings were exploding into her; desire, longing, and love, mixed with some embarrassment and fear flooded through her. Uh oh.

_Uh…Bugaboo? _Adrien's mental voice sounded strained. Marinette didn't know that was possible. _Did you mean to do that?_

She shook her head, getting out the notebook again. Her face was bright red. He broke out in a grin.

_I absolutely love it, _he said, his mental voice tender now. He swallowed hard, and Marinette saw him blinking back tears. _I can't even describe to you how much I want that. I'd give up the company, going to school, modeling…anything…to have what you just showed me. _

_Then we'll have to make it happen, _Marinette wrote, trying to convey confidence. _You deserve to be happy, Adrien. _

_Well, this makes me happy; sharing everything with you is the most wonderful dream I could hope for._

Marinette smiled up at him even as she batted her guilty feelings away from the bond. She loved the idea of sharing everything, too. But she still couldn't tell him about being the Guardian. Master Fu had begun teaching her how to decipher the code in the grimoire while Wayzz worked more with Chat Noir on his meditation, though they'd told him that she was just being told a history of the past miraculous holders. It was kind of true, as some of those were in the grimoire…

Marinette shut all of those thoughts down quickly as Adrien turned to her.

_What about you, Milady? What do you want most?_

Marinette's eyes widened. She'd shut those thoughts away for so long… She wasn't sure if she wanted to open that up. She sighed, letting a little of her fear and hesitation spill over to him.

_What is it? What's wrong? _He asked. _What are you afraid of?_

Marinette opened her notebook again, scribbling quickly. _I think…I'm afraid to go back there again. I wrote off my dreams as next to impossible, and it was painful._

_You still want to design. Right, _he remembered, looking thoughtful. _You know, I happen to know a handsome chap who's about to inherit a fashion company…_ he teased playfully. Unfortunately, Marinette looked even less excited, which threw him off momentarily. She hurried to explain.

_You can't just throw me into a position in your father's company, Adrien! People will think I got my position because we're together, not because I have merit or talent! I haven't even gone to a design school, for goodness sake! I have no credentials, very little real work to my name…what if I can't do it? _she wrote.

Adrien looked at her seriously. _Milady, fashion is your thing. Your work is stunning; I've seen your designs. And I have a fashion company that is very likely to be sold to someone else unless a talented and passionate designer steps in to help me, because there's no way in hell I'm going to be chained to it the rest of my life, slogging through life day after day doing something that bores me, especially without you. If you want it…like I said, I'd give anything in the world for my dream, including the company. I'd gladly let you take over, just stay to help with the business aspect of it._

Marinette felt cautiously hopeful, before frowning. She pitched an image of the bakery to Adrien, then one of her parents. He met her eyes thoughtfully.

_That bakery means a lot to your parents, I know. But…as much as you like the work there, it's not what you always wanted for yourself. Your father seems to be getting better. Maybe he'll be back sooner than you think._

Marinette looked doubtful.

_Look, it's hard to let yourself hope for what you want, _Adrien cut through her thoughts._ I get that. But you have an opportunity here, Milady. _He looked at her earnestly. _I have a meeting with the lawyers in charge of the company on Thursday. Please come. I'd really appreciate having you there. You know much more about fashion than I ever could. _He gave her a small smile. _In the meantime, you can give it some thought. If you're willing, I'd like to have you sign on then in an executive position. We can even hire on some other people to help deal with manufacturing and such. That way you'll actually have time to do some designing and sewing and all the things you love. Maybe we could get Maman to help some as well,_ he added. _I think she helped Father with some of that before she went missing…_

Marinette let him make his plans in silence. She wasn't sure it was a wise thing to do still, but…

_Ok, _she wrote. _I'll come to the meeting. But that doesn't mean I have what it takes to be a designer there, let alone an executive. I've never even had any training! _Her mind began whirling. Flashes in her minds eye spun past before a scene took shape- it was her taking her sketchbook or some original pieces to some sort of critic who would congratulate her for her work, thinking it so outstanding that the company would trust her to make decisions or suggestions for their designs.

_You want to prove yourself first. _It wasn't a question; he must have accidentally seen her image-thoughts again. She blushed. _Let's find a way to make that happen. Then, if things go well, you can take charge. How does that sound?_

Marinette nodded, feeling a little better, though still uneasy. But, she reasoned, it would be a shame to let this opportunity go by and not even give herself a chance.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, before Marinette flung a questioning memory at Adrien of the night before, the terror and anguish of waking up in the dark. She felt Adrien's pang of fear, noticing as his breathing caught at the mention of it.

_Not now, _he pleaded. _Please. _His eyes were wide, and his hand grasped hers in a desperate move to calm himself. She squeezed his hand and nodded, before writing her answer to him, sending him an apologetic glance.

_We'll need to talk about it when we get home though. Sorry, Kitty. _

He swallowed hard, then nodded before putting his head on her shoulder. She focused on sending him happy memories- them playing on the rooftops, throwing frosting at each other, sitting silently together looking out over Paris- as he relaxed slowly. The sound of his deep breathing a short while later told her that he'd fallen asleep.

* * *

Eventually, they arrived back at the bakery's apartment in one piece. Adrien's apprehension rolled off him in waves. From the time he'd woken to the point they set foot in the apartment door, his mind had been turning over his horrible dream, the one that had caused the episode of the night before. He'd tried to shut off his mind or distract himself, but it wasn't working. By the time they were settled on the couch, he was trembling, his breathing coming in small gasps, and he felt a bit sick to his stomach. He swallowed, trying to fight the nausea he was feeling. Marinette had been trying to send him good memories, but his negative ones were effectively blocking her out now. She took one look at him, then ran to grab a thick comforter and a wastebasket, just in case, as Plagg started to help him through his exercises for the millionth time. It wasn't working; he was blocking out Plagg, too. He knew he was letting his anxiety get the better of him, but he couldn't seem to shake away his agonizing thoughts, couldn't seem to focus on his friends trying to help him. He was getting lightheaded…

"Breathe, Adrien. Just breathe, love," Marinette whispered, squeezing his hand. He struggled to obey as she wrapped him in the blanket. She kept rocking him slowly, holding him tightly. "When you're ready, just tell me what happened." It took a long while, but finally, he began to speak.

"I-it was my dream from the o-other night. I-I was out on patrol one afternoon when I spotted Hawkmoth. I tailed him to an alleyway, where he met up with Chloe. I don't remember what they were talking about, but I followed them when they left together. They…they ambushed you at the Seine." Adrien's mouth felt dry, and he'd started to shake again. He took five slow, deliberate breaths before continuing. He didn't notice Marinette's look of shock and surprise.

"Hawkmoth, he….he cut you. I stepped in to fight him, but I- I couldn't draw Chloe away. She…she was torturing you. With a knife. T-there was blood e-everywhere." He stopped again, feeling sick. Tears began to pour down his face. "Sh-she d-dumped you i-in the r-river, Mari. A-and then…" He gasped for breath. He felt like an elephant was sitting on his chest. He couldn't fill his lungs, they seemed content to not obey…

"Adrien!" Marinette's voice came, seemingly from far away. She sounded terrified. "Adrien! Look at me, sweetheart!" After a moment, green eyes met blue. "Breathe, Adrien-"

"I k-killed them," he whispered. "I k-killed them…"

The nausea swirled with a vengeance. He barely gave any warning before he vomited, barely making it into the wastebasket in front of him. He hardly noticed a hand in his hair as he continued to speak, unbeknownst to him, his mind reliving the rest of the dream. Everything else fell away.

* * *

_Chat Noir dove into the Seine without a second thought. Marinette just HAD to be alright, she just _had_ to! He spotted her small form through the murky water which was now streaked with blood, sinking down, down, down…_

_He swam quickly towards her, his heart racing in his chest. When he finally reached her, he quickly returned, surfacing with a gasp. It was as he towed her unconscious form toward the shore that he realized that she hadn't begun to breathe again. His panic spiked. _

No, no, no, no, no, no… _he thought desperately. She _couldn't_ be…_

_He laid her body on the cobblestone carefully, gently, running a clawed hand down her face tenderly as he examined her. She definitely wasn't breathing. He put an ear to her damaged chest, hoping against hope that he would find her heart beating there. The sound he was hoping for never came. His face felt uncomfortably sticky with blood as he pulled away; _her_ blood._

"_Mari…" He cried, shaking her gently. She didn't stir. One of her hands fell lifelessly at her side. It finally sank in. He knew she was gone. "MARI! NOOOOO!" He slumped back in defeated anguish, wishing he could cease to exist. He dimly noticed his right hand glowing black as a swirling ball of destructive energy began to grow, filling his vision…_

* * *

….Before he'd woken up, dazed, in Marinette's arms. He retched again and again, his exhausted mind realizing what had happened at the end. He'd destroyed everything; himself, Paris, and everyone in it. He'd lost control and his Cataclysm had been unleashed upon everything, including himself! His subconscious wish for oblivion had triggered the possible end of the world! He buried his face in his hands, his breathing still ragged. He was dangerous. What if he lost control for real? Destroyed all of Paris? Destroyed the world? Hurt or killed Marinette?

He bent over the wastebasket, trying desperately to throw up something that wasn't there, his abused stomach empty. He barely registered Marinette's and Plagg's worried voices before darkness overtook him.

* * *

Marinette listened, horrified, as Adrien recounted the rest of his dream, the same one she'd partially shared with him. She attempted to send him calming images, but she suspected his state of mind was too tumultuous to actually hear them, essentially tuning her out. She watched him being overcome by his own mind, his thoughts transmitting to her like extra-loud radio signals.

"Plagg! What do I do?" She said worriedly, tears pooling in her blue eyes. She was holding Adrien as tightly as he would allow, given his nausea. "Nothing's working!"

Plagg wrung his tiny paws in concern. "No idea, Spots. He's never been this bad before."

Suddenly, Adrien slumped into her, succumbing to unconsciousness.

Plagg looked up at Marinette, who was openly sobbing now. "Don't worry, Spots. He's probably better off now. Being unconscious will help reset his mind, probably. He'll be much better when he wakes up." He was trying to sound confident, but even he knew he still sounded off.

Marinette looked at him doubtfully through her tears. "H-he accidentally t-transmitted his thoughts to me, there at the end before he passed out. He… he said he'd lost control and C-cataclysmed all of Paris in his grief. I-including himself." She choked back a sob. "H-he thinks h-he's too dangerous."

Tikki and Plagg exchanged looks, Tikki's worried and Plagg's determined. But before anyone could say another word, Wayzz phased in through the window. He took in the sight of them all- Adrien unconscious, Marinette red in the face from crying- but did not comment. Instead, he turned to Marinette.

"Ladybug, the Guardian must speak with you alone. At once!" He demanded. Marinette's eyes narrowed.

"What's wrong, Wayzz?"

"No time! Transform and come with me!"

Marinette looked at Adrien, then at Plagg and Tikki.

"I'll make sure he's ok," Plagg assured her. "If the Guardian needs you, it's probably an emergency. Go, quickly! He'll likely still be out when you get back."

Marinette nodded, "Tikki, Spots on!" Her regular clothes morphed into her red and black ensemble. "Lead the way, Wayzz!" She said to the turtle kwami, before disappearing into the night.

Ladybug jumped in through Master Fu's window, ready for action. "Master, what is it? What's going on?"

Master Fu looked at her impassively. "Ladybug, thank you for coming. Please, sit. De-transform and have a cup of tea with me."

Ladybug narrowed her eyes, but did as she was bidden. Tikki appeared at her shoulder as she sat down with a steaming cup of tea in hand.

"Tikki, there's a couple cookies for you on the counter," Master Fu indicated. "Please, eat. You'll need your strength soon." Tikki also did as she was told. Master Fu turned to Marinette, who was drinking her tea quickly, a grave expression on his face. Marinette's expression quickly turned from concern to anger and shock as the black hole in her mind where Adrien's thoughts should be returned.

"M-master?! Wh-Why did you block our connection? Adrien…I have to…"

She attempted to rise to her feet, but found herself unable to do so, as though all strength had left her suddenly and slumping to the floor. Tikki wasn't in any better condition, sinking slowly into Marinette's waiting hands.

"I am sorry to have to do this, Marinette, Tikki," Master Fu said, his voice holding a tone of, "it's-for-your-own-good" to it." Marinette narrowed her eyes as he continued. "I need to be sure that you will be able carry out the task I need to give you, and to give you the best chance of success." He turned towards the window, hands clasped behind his back. "Chat Noir has become too unstable, too unpredictable, and too dangerous. Wayzz has kept me informed of his deteriorating mental health." Wayzz shrunk back behind Fu as Marinette leveled a glare at him. "Wayzz must obey me, I am the master of his Miraculous, after all," Fu explained. "The end of your conversation tonight was what I had feared; Chat Noir has seen it possible that he could destroy everything in a moment of instability. We must reclaim his Miraculous as soon as possible, before it's too late. I had to cut off your connections to Adrien and Plagg so that you would be able to not give away our plans accidentally."

"Your plan is going to be a bit difficult to carry out if I can't even stand, Master," Marinette deadpanned, still angry.

"The strength-zapping potion will wear off in a moment. I just needed to be sure you would hear me out before running off," he explained.

"Master, Adrien will be beside himself if he wakes and I'm not there!" Marinette tried to reason with him. "The connection-"

"All the more reason why we should act quickly. Now could be a prime opportunity while he's unconscious to prevent the unthinkable," Fu said shortly.

Marinette was conflicted. "Adrien has always been the best partner I could hope for, my best friend. He will feel I betrayed him by taking his gemstone away, and Plagg! I can't do that to him! He-"

"Marinette," Fu cut through her rambling. "You are to be Guardian. And sometimes being the Guardian means we do what is right instead of what is easy. For the protection of the entire world. Chat Noir, in his current mental and emotional state, is a threat. You know that he is. You _must_ do it."

Marinette's mental imagery played her conversation with Adrien just that morning. She was Ladybug; she would always do the right thing. But, _was_ this really the right thing? Tears pooled in her eyes and ran down her face as she bowed her head. "Yes, Master. I will do as you ask."


	16. Chapter 16

Adrien woke slowly. He felt weak, like it was the most difficult thing in the world to open his eyes. All at once, everything hit him; he'd killed people, he'd been about to destroy the world, and Marientte was gone. A deep, cold emptiness filled him. He wrenched his eyelids open and sat up, looking around wildly. Plagg was hovering in front of him, wringing his paws. Plagg breathed a sigh of relief.

"Kid, you're awake! I was starting to worry-"

"Marinette's gone," Adrien said shortly, his eyes filling with tears. Plagg nodded.

"Yeah. She…"

But Adrien had stopped listening. She was gone. Plagg admitted it. She was gone and wasn't coming back. The deep, aching hole in his mind where Marinette should be was swallowing him. The only thing he could hear was sound of his own anguished sobs. If only he'd been quick enough! If only he'd destroyed Chloe and Hawkmoth when he had the chance! If only his Lady- his mind caught. The Ladybug Miraculous. Of course! The Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculous! The one wish! He didn't care what it cost him, as long as Marinette could live. Everything could be alright again. He got to his feet shakily, wiping his face, a determined expression overtaking his features.

"Adrien, where are you going, kid?" Plagg cut through his thoughts.

"To get Marinette back," he said. "Plagg, claws out!"

"Kid, wait!" But Plagg didn't have time to say anything more before he was sucked into the ring.

* * *

Ladybug was sprinting toward her apartment. She'd never run so fast in her life, hoping she'd get there in time to get the gemstone before Adrien woke up. She didn't really want to contemplate what might happen if… She cut herself off with a gasp. Chat Noir stood in front of her, looking thunderstruck.

"L-ladybug," he stuttered. "Oh, Ladybug, I- I thought I'd never see you again!" Then he seemed to shake himself, his expression turning livid. "Wait, you can't be the real Ladybug," he said quietly, as though talking to himself. He turned his angry gaze back to the woman in front of him, black bubbling magic swirling around his hand fiercely. "You're not the real one! You're an imposter! How _dare _you! Give me her Miraculous! You don't deserve it!" He shouted at her, raising his magic-clad claws.

Ladybug finally found her voice. "Ch-chat, it's me! It's Ladybug, _your_ Ladybug!" she tried to calm him. "Y-you're not yourself. Please! Hand me your Miraculous, before it's too late!"

Instead of calming him though, this seemed to only make things worse. "The real Ladybug would never, _ever_ ask that of me!" He cried, tears pouring down his face. "Sh-she wouldn't take Plagg from me. She w-wouldn't have _left_ me willingly!" His hand glowed, a sphere of energy growing. In his anger and pain, the destructive power shot towards her, leaving a circle of ash in the rooftop they were standing on as she dodged. Her tears matched his as she faced him again.

"Chat, you're confused! You're hurting! You're- you're dangerous!" She indicated the hole in the roof. "Please! I beg you, see reason!" Before she could continue, she was cut off by a volley of destructive magical spheres. She had to perform a complicated serious of flips and dodges to evade them all. She led them to the Trocodero, figuring that being on solid ground could only help the situation. It would decrease the number of destroyed buildings, at least. Chat advanced toward her, tears gone, looking completely out of his mind with fury. Ladybug shivered as she looked him in the eye; his expression was hard, his eyes cold and lifeless.

"Never! I will NEVER give my Miraculous to you! You- you're- you're a liar and a thief! You stole Ladybug's Miraculous!" In one swift movement, he drew his silver baton from his belt, holding it before him like a fencing saber. "I'll give you one last chance, _Ladybug,_" he sneered sarcastically. "Give me the Miraculous!"

"No, Chat, I-" she wasn't sure what she was going to say to him, but that didn't matter as he lunged, bringing the baton up towards her ribs. She ducked and weaved, knowing that her yo-yo would be useless in hand-to-hand or close range combat, and that his superior size would be to his advantage. At least she would be equal as far as strength while in their suits.

"Please, Chat, this isn't you!" She cried, hoping she could distract him long enough to maybe wrap him in her yo-yo string.

"Of course it's me, _Milady, _who else would it be?" He sneered at her again. "But then, you don't really _know_ anything about me, because you're not _my_ Lady!"

He raised his baton again, this time hitting her left arm with enough force that she heard a sickening _crunch!_ She cried out in pain, sure it was broken. She had just enough time to let the thought cross her mind that if it had been her ribs, she really would have been in trouble, before Chat was swinging at her again. His movements were frenzied now, desperate, not controlled and poised as he normally was. She could practically feel his pain, though she knew that the connection was still severed. She quickly leaped away, but his agility allowed him to keep up with her effortlessly. She knew she was tiring, and the pain in her arm was almost overwhelming. She hoped she would find a way to finish her mission soon.

* * *

Chat Noir was furious! How _dare_ this fake Ladybug take Marinette's Miraculous! How _dare _they ask for _his?!_ Dimly, he noted the change in his powers, but he wasn't going to complain. If it helped him accomplish his mission, then so be it. Maybe he could talk to her, distract her (he wasn't sure it even _was_ a 'her', maybe the Miraculous was able to make anyone look like the real Ladybug). Then he might be able to find an opening to pin her down and take back his Lady's Miraculous.

"So, _Milady,"_ he sneered again, twirling his baton casually in his left hand. "If you really are the real Ladybug, why would you want my Miraculous?"

"Ladybug" looked uncomfortable for a moment, surreptitiously sliding her good hand towards her yo-yo. As if he wouldn't notice… "I-I already told you, Kit-"

"NO!" He roared angrily. His temper flared dangerously, his right hand flickering with black magic again. "Don't you DARE call me that! O-only.. only _her."_

Ladybug looked stricken. "Fine then, I already told you, _Chat Noir_. You aren't yourself."

Chat let out a mirthless bark of laughter. "I haven't been myself in quite some time, 'Milady'," he said with a confident smirk. He watched as her eyes filled with tears again, but he brushed it off. No way would he let himself be manipulated. He stalked slowly toward her, like a cat circling his prey. "Anyway, that's not an answer. Tell me the _real_ reason."

Ladybug did not move as he approached seemingly lost in her own head, before her expression cleared and she looked at him in determination.

"Because…because I'm the Guardian," she said quietly but resolutely.

Chat's jaw dropped, and his spinning baton stilled. Of all the things he'd thought he might hear from this- this _fraud, _that wasn't one of them. His eyes narrowed in confusion. "No, you're not! It's…" His jaw snapped shut, seemingly of its own accord.

_Sorry, Kid. Can't have you blabbing the Guardian's name all over Paris. _Plagg's voice echoed through his mind.

"…It's Mister Turtle!" Chat finished. He began moving slowly towards her again, coming to stand directly in front of her. They were so close that he could reach out and touch her. He didn't dare.

'Ladybug' nodded at him with a shrug. She seemed to know what he was talking about, but he pushed that evidence away. He wouldn't allow himself to be distracted.

"That's true," she was saying, "but after Hawkmoth, Mister Turtle decided to start training me to be his successor. Something about being old enough that his children and grandchildren had passed on." She shuddered. "Chat, I wanted to tell you, but…but Mister Turtle didn't think it was a good idea. You understand, don't you? Secret identities and all that." She was staring into his eyes pleadingly, a hand on his arm, hoping that he would hear and understand.

Chat closed his eyes, trembling, a single tear streaking down his face. Maybe it was her, after all. Only the real Ladybug ever made such a huge deal out of secret identities. Plus, she had understood the reference to Mister Turtle, which was something no one else could possibly know. He still couldn't sense her, but…if Mister Turtle was involved, that could mean very little. "I understand," he said quietly. When he opened his eyes again though, they were once again cold and hard. "I understand that you never loved me! You- you were just trying to fill your mission for the Master! He doesn't trust me! And neither do you!" His hurt and agony filled him. His love was alive, but he'd lost her! No, he'd never really had her to begin with. He was a fool. "There no point in anything anymore. I should just end it," he said to himself. "You, me, Paris, everything!" As he spoke, a giant ball of energy grew from his hand. He lifted it high over his head as it continued to swell, his fury, fear and anguish fueling the enormous destructive mass.

"NO! Chat!"

"Shellter!" A new voice rang out. A green figure appeared out of nowhere, a green turtle-shell shield bubbling between Chat and Ladybug. Chat let the energy dissipate as his fury focused on the newcomer, who had pulled Ladybug away from him and was now standing between them. A new ball of destruction formed in his hand, growing as large as a parade balloon, turning towards the turtle-clad superhero. "Shellter!" He called again. Chat and Mister Turtle threw all their strength towards their powers, which each continued to expand to match the other. He would win this. He _had _to. There was nothing else left.

* * *

Ladybug was glad for the distraction that had come in the form of Master Fu, but she could honestly say she didn't know what to do, she thought to herself as she took cover behind a clump of bushes. Chat had _never_ been like this before. She was used to his optimistic outlook and stupid jokes, not this poor, lost, broken man who was on the brink of despair. She didn't know what to do to get through to him.

_Think, Ladybug. Think!_ She admonished herself.

_Time for a little luck, Marinette,_ Tikki's voice came through her mind.

Ladybug only just succeeded in not slapping herself in the forehead. Of course!

"Lucky Charm!" She muttered. A raspberry macron dropped into her hand. "Great," she muttered to herself. "This is no time for snacks!" Looking around, the only thing she could see highlighted in her lucky vision was Chat himself…and then, it came to her.

Slipping out from her hiding place, she circled carefully and quietly around behind Chat so that she was standing behind him, though at a safe distance. His Cataclysm was growing to match the turtle shield, each continuing to expand until BANG! The magic between them exploded, throwing Chat backwards, right into Ladybug's waiting arms. She gasped in pain as the movement jarred her injured arm, but otherwise ignored it. Before he could protest, she guided them both to the ground and gathered him to her chest, rocking him slowly. She began to whisper calmly, and as she did so, she focused with all her might, hoping and praying that the images and feelings would get through.

"My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng: Ladybug. Your name is Adrien Agreste, also known as Chat Noir." He struggled against her grip, but she held on tighter. This had to work! "We met ten years ago during our first akuma fight against Stoneheart when we were no more than fourteen years old. You helped me gain confidence to make the right choice. We were together for ten years as hero partners, best friends." As she spoke, she let love and vivid images of them together with Stoneheart threatening, playing tag and hide-and-seek on the rooftops during patrol, Christmases full of raspberry macrons and hot chocolate, and quiet evenings just looking out over Paris fill her mind. He stilled, and a tear trailed down his face. She added a few more of trading jokes during missions, getting ice cream in the park with Monsieur Ramier. A couple more tears followed the first down his face.

"We met outside the masks just a few weeks ago. We grew close quickly, almost as though it were fate or destiny." More images, these of the cafe, the park, playing around in the bakery. "We found out each other's secret identities." More images of him teasing her while shirtless as they searched for a disturbance in her house. "We defeated…uh…helped…Hawkmoth, and helped your mother," she added, showing him the images. "We've shared everything the past few weeks. Sadness and pain…" She showed him his father's funeral. "…fear,…" The aftermath of a panic attack. "…support,…" The scene on the mezzanine, him coming with her to visit her father. "Dreams…and love." She poured every ounce of focus and love and longing she had into this last memory, handing him the macaron as she vividly recounted her image of his- their- future family. His shoulders were shaking with sobs now as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. Tears were pouring down her face now, too, as she whispered, "You are my everything, Adrien. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about the Guardian, and I'm sorry I left. It was a mistake. Please…please don't leave me."

She was surprised when he threw his arms around her neck, hugging her tightly as they cried together. He pulled back from her and she was shocked to find Adrien in her lap instead of Chat, looking a little worse for wear in his street clothes, holding his ring out to her in the palm of his hand. He didn't meet her eyes. Now that things had calmed, she could feel his shame and guilt. Plagg looked sadly on beside them.

"Thank you," she whispered, slipping the ring on her finger so as not to lose it. She took the cookie from his other hand. He shifted in her lap so she could toss it in her right hand, murmuring, "Miraculous Ladybug." The magic ladybugs swarmed over Paris, and all evidence of the battle disappeared. Ladybug's arm healed in a flash, all memory of Chat Noir turning into Adrien Agreste was erased…and yet, there was one remaining difference- a little old man in a Hawaiian shirt, sprawled on the ground.

* * *

Adrien couldn't keep the tears from leaking down his face. Ladybug had saved him from himself. She always did. And staring down at the little old man lying on the cobblestone, a pang of guilt flooded through him.

_What have I done?! _ He thought in anguish, kneeling next to Master Fu. His heart lightened slightly as Fu stirred, turning to stare blearily at him.

"Master, I-I'm s-so s-sorry," he finally managed. Master Fu waved him off.

"Don't…worry…Chat Noir," he croaked, placing a gentle hand on Adrien's arm. "You…did not…do this. It- It was…the energy I used…to fuel…the shield. My…My body couldn't…handle…any more." Adrien was about to argue when he noticed that Fu's gaze was no longer on him, but on Ladybug's tear-streaked face. "There…is a note…in the grimoire…for you. It…will explain…everything." He paused, his breathing labored. "Thank you…Ladybug…Chat Noir. I am…proud…of…you." He whispered before his eyes closed and he moved no more.

Adrien crumpled, sobbing silently. "I'm s-sorry! I'm s-so s-sorry!" He repeated, though the person he addressed could no longer hear him. Ladybug took his hand, squeezing it, before taking out her Bug-phone and calling for help. As the sound of sirens approached them, Ladybug led Adrien away before anyone could see them. They took one last look back at the body of their mentor before Ladybug swung them away.

* * *

The next few days went by in a blur. Adrien and Marinette spent much of their time together, though mostly in uneasy silence. Neither really knew what to say. They knew they eventually needed to talk about what happened, but neither really wanted to be the one to begin the conversation. But, they reasoned, there would be plenty of time for that later. Plagg stayed by Adrien's side, too, though Marinette kept his ring for now. Adrien thought it for the best, all things considering. He refused to ask for it back, though he was grateful that Marinette had allowed Plagg to stay.

Marinette, for her part, had gone almost immediately to collect all the Miraculous-related memorabilia from Master Fu's apartment, letting herself in through his window. She'd tried to lend the Black Cat ring back to Adrien for a short while in order to help her, but he'd refused. She had looked at him in concern before he offered to have his mother send a car for them a couple blocks from Fu's apartment instead. She accepted, but she knew he was having a hard time trusting himself after everything that had happened.

So it was that Wednesday afternoon as Adrien was enjoying getting to know his new piano, Marinette sidled up to him. She sat next to him on the piano bench, a small smile on her face. She was holding a couple small sheets of paper. Adrien glanced sideways at her, registering Master Fu's writing as he continued to play.

"You read that yet?" He asked with feigned casualness. He was desperately curious, but he knew it was unlikely that the contents should be allowed anywhere near him. He had almost destroyed the city singlehandedly, after all. His control had slipped. He had no business anywhere near any Miraculous, let alone Plagg's Miraculous. He was startled out of his thoughts as Marinette shook his head, looking a little mischievous.

"What? Why not?" He asked her. She just held it up to his eye level and he stopped playing. "_To Ladybug and Chat Noir-_" the first line read. His jaw dropped.

"Wha-? Why? Why would he include me?" Adrien wondered aloud. His face and feelings betrayed his shock.

"Shall we find out together?" Marinette suggested. She began to read it out loud, beginning with the proclamation of a date of some ten days previously.

_To Ladybug and Chat Noir-_

_If you are reading this, then we must not have been able to complete your training before my unfortunate demise. I sincerely apologize for not being more forward-thinking in my preparations for my passing, but I hope you will have at least enough information to get going with. Hopefully I have taught you to decode the ciphers in the grimoire by now, because that concept is too large to teach you in a letter._

_The combination to get the Miracle box is shown below- _Marinette indicated a drawing of the twin dragons on the phonograph, the buttons in between numbered in the correct sequence. _I strongly encourage you to spend time with all the kwamis, not just your own. They can help you learn more about the past Chosens and powers of the Miraculous gems than can be found in the grimoire. The recipes for the special transformations are also contained in the grimoire._

_The two of you should stick together. Being a Guardian is an awesome responsibility, and you will need to be able to lean on each other. Marinette, considering everything that has happened in the recent past, I am certain that, so far, you have been the only one being trained. Adrien, I apologize for the difficulties this has or may yet cause you. But just know, it was originally my intent for __both__ of you to become Guardians. Together. And that is still my intention. When you both feel that the time is right, Marinette, you may begin transferring your knowledge to Adrien so that neither of you will be alone with this power and duty. _

_Stand for what you believe to be right. Work hard. Be there for each other. I wish the both of you all the best._

_Sincerely, _

_Wang Fu._


	17. Chapter 17

Epilogue- 6 years later

Marinette was hurrying down a long corridor, bolt of beautiful green shimmering fabric clutched in her hands. She was on her way to her workshop, having had a surge of inspiration suddenly in the middle of a board meeting. It had taken every ounce of self control to not get up and run as soon as the meeting adjourned. She took a moment to admire the beautiful shade- exactly the same as her husband's beautiful emerald eyes, before unlocking the door and letting herself into the room.

She plopped herself down in a swiveling chair after relinquishing the fabric to an uncluttered space on the counter running the length of the small room, turning face the section of counter space dedicated to sketching. Her eyes roved over her wedding photo- her husband grinning happily as he rested his forehead on hers, taken just months after their great battle for the Miraculous- before she grabbed her notepad and a pencil from the jar as she began to transfer her ideas to paper. So engrossed in her work was she, that she almost missed a soft knock on the door.

"Come in," she called, looking over her work carefully, analyzing her sketch, before looking up. Her face lit up in a smile as she caught sight of a familiar mane of blond hair and sparkling emerald eyes poking in through the doorway.

"Hey Bugaboo, mind if we come visit?"

"We?" She looked around to see she had two more visitors. A little girl, sporting her father's golden blonde hair and Chat-like smirk launched herself into her mother's arms, a little raven-hair boy following behind his sister at a more sedate pace, holding a paper sack clutched in his small fist. The twins would be five the following spring. Marinette smiled as she set the girl down and took her son into her arms.

"Hugo, what have you got there?" She said, holding out a hand.

"Cookies!" The little girl squealed before her brother could open his mouth, barely containing her excitement. Marinette grinned as she took a couple chocolate chip cookies out of the bag. They were a little funny looking, but Tikki zoomed out of Marinette's purse to snatch one when the children weren't looking. Mari looked to Adrien for an explanation.

"We were helping Papa Dupain at the bakery this morning," he told her with a grin. "The twins insisted on making their batch of cookies 'all by themselves'. They had a blast! After that, we had a fencing lesson- Emma finally bested Hugo in a bout-"

"She distracted me!" Hugo protested.

"Hey, it's not my fault that the thought of Papa's chocolate croissants distracts you," Emma retorted as their parents chuckled.

Adrien continued. "The twins practiced their piano lesson, and then Alya and Nino's little guy stopped by to play." Alya and Nino had gotten married the year after Adrien and Marinette. Their son, Armand, was a year younger than the twins. They remained some of Adrien and Marinette's closest friends, often setting their children up to play together.

"Wow, sounds like you had a busy morning," Marinette smiled as Adrien crept over to kiss her on the cheek, trying to sneak a look over her shoulder to see what she'd been working on, but she swatted him away.

"Not yet! " She hissed. He gave her a fake pout. "It's for Emma's Christmas present," she whispered in his ear. He nodded his understanding before changing the subject before the children could ask questions.

"How was your meeting this morning?" He inquired.

She sighed. "Fine. Your maman has been having trouble coming up with models for the formal shoot. Nobody has been what they're looking for."

He smirked at her. "Of course not. They're not the real deal," he said, pulling her into his arms and giving her a firm kiss on the lips. She smirked back, thinking of the photo shoot in question. The formalwear shoot had been Miraculous-inspired, particularly featuring those of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Adrien's mother had become the lead model coordinator, and as such, it was up to her to find the perfect models for the outfits. Though it was ironic that the most convincing people to model the pieces would be Agreste Fashion's top designer and executive, and the ex-model Agreste himself, though of course, nobody knew that.

"Maybe we could…" she said thoughtfully, beginning to look excited. Adrien looked askance at her. "Ask your mother if she could keep the twins overnight," she requested, "and meet me in our usual spot at 20:00. Ok?"

Adrien grinned and nodded. He thought he knew what she had in mind.

* * *

It was dark out already as Adrien walked quickly through their flat as he turned out the lights, flipped Plagg a snack, and checked that Trixx and Wayzz were secured in the kwami realm (it had been their turn to come out and play that afternoon), twisting his ring around his finger absentmindedly. Then he suited up in his usual uniform as he hopped up on the rooftop to meet his Lady. He bounded towards the Eiffel Tower, skidding to a stop on the platform halfway up as he realized that she wasn't here yet. All at once, she landed a perfect aerial flip so close that she was practically on top of him, grinning at his surprise.

"Hey Kitty! You ready?" She asked, practically vibrating with excitement. "Just hop up there," she pointed to the upper deck of the Tower. "I'll be along in a minute." She turned away, then looked back over her shoulder. "Oh, and…maybe dress up a little?" She requested with a wink. He raised an eyebrow at her, but did as he was told.

He landed on the upper balcony of the Eiffel Tower, brow furrowed in concentration as his gloves were wished away, his customary leather suit being exchanged for a leather-like suit jacket and pants, shiny black shoes, and a green button-up shirt and skinny black tie with a tiny bell attached to the middle. His mask stayed in place.

As Ladybug still had yet to reappear, he remembered that night all those years ago, meeting Hawkmoth- his father- in that very spot. He shivered. The next few times they'd returned here since that time, it had taken all his control to not dissolve in panic. But, time healed all wounds, he supposed. He hadn't had any panic attacks since about a year or so after his battle for the Miraculous with Ladybug. Marinette proved to be a great support to him.

"Wow, you look purrr-fect!" A melodic voice sounded behind him. He turned to find his Lady standing behind him and his jaw dropped. Even after all this time, he still never failed to be awed by her. Her blue eyes sparkled behind her customary mask, and her usual super suit was exchanged for a flowing red-and-black spotted dress that had a high collared neckline and no sleeves. On her feet were a pair of strappy black sandals. A black shawl completed her look. He shook himself out of his daze.

"Look in the mirror, Bugaboo! I can't help but _reflect_ your awesomeness," he teased lightly. She rolled her eyes, but grinned. "So, what's the plan for tonight, Milady?" He asked, offering her his arm.

"Well," she began, then let go of him to stand behind him, covering his eyes.

"Ladybug, what-?"

"Just trust me," her voice came from behind him as she used her elbows to push him forward slightly. They turned and walked a few steps before they stopped. "Keep your eyes shut," she ordered as she moved away.

"Yes, Milady," he answered obediently. He could see a faint light through his closed eyelids.

"Ok, you can look now," she said finally. He opened his eyes to see a dinner picnic, highly reminiscent of the one he had organized for Ladybug as a teen- the one she'd never come to. There were candles and roses, and a bottle of sparkling juice. Interesting choice, he thought, but then brushed it off as he turned back to his wife.

"This- this is incredible, Ladybug," he said softly, taking her hand and pulling her into his side in a hug. "But…"

She seemed to have anticipated his question because a memory overtook his mind momentarily.

* * *

_Marinette was sitting alone in a park, feeling upset. The hood of her sweatshirt was pulled up over her head and as low over her face as was possible. She had had plans with her friends that night, but someone had invited Chloe along. Chloe had spent the entire evening making snide comments at Marinette, pushing and pushing until Marinette had finally run away from the group when no one was looking. Now she was sitting in the park, crying. Suddenly, a black-clad boy wearing cat ears and black domino mask dropped out of a tree to the ground in front of her. _

"_Are you….are you alright?" He asked her as he carefully approached her. _

_She nodded, then, catching sight of his raised eyebrow, reluctantly shook her head. _

_He took a seat on the bench next to her in silence. All at once, he took her hand. She looked up at him, searching his face._

"_Come with me," he said quietly, helping her to her feet. Then he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her to a nearby rooftop."Close your eyes," he instructed before setting her down, and she did as he'd asked. She recognized a faint glow through her closed eyelids before his voice called, "Ok, you can open them now."_

_She looked around and took in the beauty of the glowing candles, the flowers, and the dinner set out on a picnic blanket overlooking the night lights of Paris, before looking at the boy in front of her._

"_This is lovely," she said. She noticed that he looked sad. "Chat Noir?" His emerald cat eyes met her blue ones. "Are- are you alright?"_

_He sighed. "I- I wanted to give all this to Ladybug, but…" he sighed again. "She never showed up." He was silent as he looked out over the railing, not noticing Marinette's wince. "She didn't ever really promise that she was coming…but I really, really wanted her to." There was a pause, but he didn't meet her eyes. "I thought, at least, if I couldn't let Ladybug have it…I could put it to good use to cheer up a beautiful girl."_

_They sat in silence for a moment, before Marinette had the courage to answer. _

"_I bet she'd have appreciated it. I certainly do." She looked up at him, putting a small hand on his arm. "Thank you, Chat Noir. You've helped more than you know."_

_He gave her a faint smile. "All in a day's work, Princess." Then he smirked a signature Chat smirk, though Marinette noticed that it didn't reach his eyes. "Come on. Those cookies aren't going to eat themselves."_

* * *

Chat's eyes widened. "That was _you?!" _ He said in shock. He was starting to think that they would never know everything about each other, if he was still finding out things like this about his Lady after all these years. He was consistently amazed. She nodded shyly.

"I'm sorry about that day," she said quietly. "I didn't realize how much it meant to you until you took Marinette up on that rooftop." She wrapped her arms around his waist and he rested his cheek in her hair, kissing the top of her head, before she pulled away grabbing his hand. "Come on, those cookies aren't going to eat themselves!" She echoed his past self cheekily, and he laughed as she guided them both toward the blanket.

They laughed and talked for a while, until finally, Chat's curiosity got the better of him.

"Say, Ladybug, not that this stuff isn't fabulous," he held up his champagne flute filled with sparkling juice, "but…I mean, we're French, Milady. Wine is basically a must for any meal, but most especially a fancy dinner. What's the deal?"

Ladybug's face turned as bright red as her dress. She opened her mouth and closed it again, then repeated the gesture twice more before finding her voice. She sighed.

"I wasn't going to tell you yet, I wanted it to be a surprise," she said, looking vaguely unhappy. "But…" She reached into her bag and pulled out a paper, handing it to Chat, who took it with interest. He scanned the paper, which held a number of confusing medical terms, with a furrowed brow, before his eyes went wide in surprise.

"No…" he breathed. He looked up at her. "Is this…is this for real?"

When she nodded, a huge Cheshire Cat grin spread slowly across his face. He scooped up his wife, spinning her around as he laughed. He ducked his head, his lips meeting hers as he put a gentle hand on her still-flat stomach.

"Well, Milady, looks like we're finally going to have one more little kitten running around before you know it," he said happily. He didn't know what else the future would bring, but he was alright with that. If he had his Lady by his side, they'd be able to do anything. They were partners. And he'd never be alone again.


End file.
